


He returned as steady as the Mountain Wind

by Luca_Crimson



Series: Stigma of the Wind [3]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: 'Cause baby now we got bad puns, Actual cinnamon roll Regulus Black, All Hail Regulus, BAMF Hermione Granger, Because Blaise would screw up without him, Blaise can't seem to take anything seriously, But only for a bit, Dark Harry Potter, Dark but not Evil Harry, Elemental Magic, Harry Potter is a Good Friend, Harry Potter is a Little Shit, Harry is Hermione's sassy gay friend, Incubus Blaise, Mother Hen Cedric Diggory, Multi, Pop Culture, Powerful Harry, Powerful Hermione, Ravenclaw Hermione Granger, Ravenclaw Theodore Nott, Regulus is the only one good with feelings, Return of the Sass, Sad Harry Potter, Sassy Harry, Slytherin Harry, Smart Harry, Snarky Harry, Sugarhigh Theo is a crazy Theo, T for the language, Wood Jokes, Wrong Boy-Who-Lived, as in "a lot", but - Freeform, he is a precious little cutiepie, musical suggestions for each chapter, no siriusly
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-16
Updated: 2017-09-20
Packaged: 2018-06-08 21:38:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 27,679
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6874618
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Luca_Crimson/pseuds/Luca_Crimson
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The 2nd year to "He came like an oncoming Storm". This story probably will not make any sense without the first year.</p><p>Hiatus is over, also there are other works up, so please take some time to check them out.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. “Across the Horizon” by Audiomachine (from “Tree of Life”)

Harry stood in the air, now that he was with his parents again he could no longer fly like he did during the school year. But no force on earth would keep him bound to the ground. And not being allowed to ride the winds also had its good sides. For one he could focus on the other abilities he had disregarded before. Using his winds to scout out territory he could not see, creating wind blades (while he could already create blades, he had practically no control over them) and using his winds to shield himself and others.

An explosion blew out one of the Cathedral’s windows. Harry ignored it. Blaise screamed “THEO!!!” Harry ignored it. Theo jumped out of the window screaming “LIKE A BOSS!”. Harry ignored it. Theo ran across the herb garden, Blaise hot on his heels. At some point they started up the lawn sprinkler. Harry ignored it. Theo grabbed one of the rune-enhanced flamethrowers (Godric had them lying around, Merlin knows why) holding it against the water drops and loudly singing “I set fire to the rain”. Blaise tackled Theo, sending the flamethrower flying into the hedge where it did not set fire to the rain but to Salazar’s precious rose bushes. At that point Harry knew that he had to intervene.

With a few swift movements Harry let the winds gather the water from the sprinkler and extinguished the fire. Blaise meanwhile was regaining his breath. “We shouldn’t have introduced him to muggle culture. Especially not to the sweets.” heaved the incubus.

“You are only realizing this now? I thought that was clear when he used his wand to destroy most of the furniture whilst screaming Doctor Who quotes at everyone and everything.”

“Thank god for this being a highly magical place otherwise we all would have been expelled from Hogwarts at least ten times by now. And it’s barely a month into summer vacation. By the way…why are you parents away so much? Not that I mind but them being away kind of is the reason that Theo is able to go…wild…like this.”

“I don’t know. But I do intend to find out. Which of course will be a piece of cake. I can blackmail them by telling them that I will send compromising pictures of them to the other.”

““Compromising pictures”? Do they cheat on each other? And can you even say that they cheat on each other, considering that they did not get back together yet, which is kind of a miracle in itself?”

“They do not cheat on each other. But if your sexually frustrated partner who desires you very much gets a picture of you in a…revealing outfit…let’s just say I have it on good authority that neither Salazar nor Godric have that much self-control…”

A scream from the Cathedral cut their conversation short.

“Sounds like Theo found Regulus again. Come on, let’s save him. I kind of like having a little brother, especially such a cinnamon roll as Regulus.”

_“My family, putting the Fun into Dys-FUN-ctual since 2007”_

Harry was carrying an unresponsive Regulus to the couch while Blaise was off, chasing Theo again. One could merely hear several cries of “Basinga!” from different points of the house.

“Hey, Regulus? Can you hear me?”

“He kept ranting about a guy called Chuck Norris. Apparently that person can do incredible things. Maybe we should recruit him if Voldemort ever comes back to life.” Said Regulus before falling sideways onto the couch.

“Oh dear Mother Magic herself, Reg, wake up!” said Harry, he could hear Theo approaching again. Judging by Regulus’ condition he might not survive another encounter with a sugar crazed Nott Heir.

“This is the number of Regulus Black. I am currently unavailable, so please leave a message after the tone.”

“Well, I am really sorry to do this but this seems to be the only way: Yo mama so fat her boggart took one look at her and turned into a head of lettuce.” Regulus grunted. Harry could see Theo poking out behind one of the pillars. Well, time to bring out the big guns:

“Yo mama so ugly, even a dementor wouldn’t kiss her!”

Regulus burst out laughing: “Yeah, that bitch totally was!” Harry grabbed him and ran…

 

_Three hours and an unhealthy amount of pop-culture references later…_

Blaise, Regulus and Harry stood back to back in the crypt of the Cathedral (why a fake-cathedral would need a crypt was a mystery for another time). They had lured Theo down here but had lost sight of him in the process. The only thing that clued them to Theo’s location was the constant echoing giggle (have you ever heard a maniacal giggle in a shadowy crypt? Because that is guaranteed to be creepy if you are not the one giggling) and the occasional movement in the shadows.

“Well, drastic situations call for drastic measures!” said Blaise.

“They don’t!” said Harry.

Before they could start arguing, Regulus intervened: “Maybe this one does.” His smile was still rather shaky from his episode on the couch.

“Okay then” Blaise cupped his hands to his mouth “Ravenclaws are all stuck up nerds who don’t know a good time if it bit them in the arse!”

“Are not!” screamed Theo, popping out behind a coffin too close to them for comfort.

“STUPEFY!” screamed Harry, sending Theo tumbling backwards.

“So~~~~” drawled Blaise “Do we just…let him lie here?”

“No, I’ll keep him were I can see him. It’s best if we just tie him up and hang him on the chandelier in the nave.”

“Sounds like a plan.”

It was this way that Sirius and Angiola found them five hours later, Theo dangling from the ceiling, Harry, Blaise and Regulus piled on one another. They slowly uncoiled the different limps of the boys and Sirius carried the two Black family members to the guest room, while Angiola coaxed Harry awake.

One sleepy azure eye opened: “What time is it?” he mumbled.

“It’s around half past ten in the evening. Harry I am sorry to be the one to tell you but…you have been summoned in front of the Wizengamot for a trial…I’ll explain on the way.”

_“Suns and Stars” – by Audiomachine (from the trailer for “PAN”)_

“This is the 22nd day of the Potter/Emrys-LeFay trial on the matter of custody for Harry Potter-”

“Excuse me, sir, but my name is not Harry Potter but Hadrian Zephyrus Emrys-LeFay. Official documents will attest to that.” Harry said absentmindedly while internally he was screaming. Apparently the Potters – for whatever reason – had decided to drag him back into their family. And Godric and Salazar had been fighting them on that since the beginning of summer break.

“The documents we have been handed show your name to be Harry Potter.” Said Madam Bones.

“These documents are probably from Hogwarts then. I corrected that mistake on the beginning of term last year and find myself surprised that it has not been taken care of.” At that Harry turned to look Dumbledore straight into his twinkling blue eyes. Glacier blue met sky azure. Harry could feel the old man trying to dig into his mind. But to no avail, he blocked the old man out whilst starting his own attacks. And what he found was more than displeasing. The Potters had stated that they wanted Harry back, since he turned out to be quite a prodigy at magic. Dumbledore supported this notion in hopes of gaining another spy in Slytherin. Harry was looking for the other spy’s identity when Dumbledore broke eye contact.

“Your documentation states that you have not been banned from the Potter family tree, meaning that your current guardians never had the right to adopt you.” Said Dumbledore in his grandfatherly tone.

“You, I and any competent member of the Wizengamot knows that what you are saying is complete and utter nonsense Headmaster. The Potter’s formally disowned me and hence gave way to anyone who wished to adopt me.”

“Well, but the Potters are still your family. And I know for a fact that they always treated you like a family member.”

“So you count “putting a 15 month old toddler protected by only a thin blanket on the front porch of magic hating, abusive muggles on a cold November night” as being treated like family?”

“I-”

“You know what, I do not care whether or not the Potters want me in their family again. I am happy where I am and I can give you seven simple reasons why you should listen to me: Reason one:”

“Now, now, Harry, my boy that is not-”

“Let me repeat what I said to you in fall last year: I. Am. Not. Your. Boy. And you have no right to call me Harry. That is a nickname reserved to family and friends. A group neither you nor the Potters belong to. Now let me talk. Albus. Too-many-Merlin-damned-middle-names. Dumbledore. Back to the start. The first reason: As I stated before, the Potters abandoned me with magic hating muggle relatives. I cannot return into such an environment, because I dread what might happen if they decide to abandon me again. Reason Number 2: Not only where my parents the ones to save me from that horrible life as a muggle’s house elf, they also gave me back my self-esteem and anything else the muggles tried to beat out of me. Reason Number 3:” At this point Harry jumped over the witness stand and started walking around the room in a slow pace, assessing each Gamot member.

“I was sorted into Slytherin House, which the Potters are strictly against. So they will either try to mould me into the perfect little brother to their illustrious child or they will shun and insult me once we are out of the public eye. Both options are no suitable environment for any child to grow up in. Reason Number 4.” He had crossed the room half way by then.

“I have friends in Slytherin who belong to long lines of Dark Families. If I suddenly belong to a Light Family they cannot keep up the friendship without risking social suicide. And the Light children will not accept me because I am “an evil snake”. In short, if you force me to become a Potter you also sentence me to a life-long isolation from other people. Which of course would displease me.” Azure eyes glowed eerily in the dark “And you do not want me displeased.” Said Harry in a demonic voice (think Bill Cipher from Gravity Falls).

“Reason Number 5: The Potters cared for me a little over a year. My parents have been doting on me since 5 and a half years. It was them who rushed to my aid during the Philosopher’s Stone incident a month ago. They are the ones keeping me safe. And I don’t think that will change anytime soon. Which brings me to Reason Number 6:”

He had now reached the ranks where the Lords and Ladies of the most influential houses sat, meaning he stood before Sirius, Lucius Malfoy, Dowager-Duchess Longbottom, the Lovegood family, Theo’s grandfather, Amos Diggory, James Potter, Hermione (for Ravenclaw) and his fathers.

“Not only have these two men been parents to me, but the best one could ever have. They have given me anything I wanted, they taught me everything I know. They, of course reeled me in when I was being unreasonable and brattish. They told me to keep my mind open and how to navigate this strange new world that the seven-year-old Me was thrown into. I was allowed to be myself around them, I had no need to be afraid anymore of using my magic.”

With a few well measured steps he was in front of Dumbledore. “And lastly, the 7th reason: Whatever you may decide. I have the power to overrule all of you and do whatever the fuck I want, whenever the fuck I want, with whoever the fuck I want and wherever the fuck I want. I am Heir to four of the Imperial Houses, and Lord of one. So please, spare valuable time and paperwork and get something important done for once. Like, I don’t know, stop the discrimination against muggle-raised students for example. They are thrown into this world which is far too much to take in during the few hours teachers are allowed to help them get their supplies. You claim that they all return to the muggle world after graduating Hogwarts. Well, how can you be surprised? They are forced into a world they can only understand when they read through at least five etiquette and history books whilst being constantly looked down upon by blood bigots. Why don’t you start there? Once you are finished we can talk again about taking me away from my FAMILY!” the last word was echoed once more in a demonic tone, blue eyes icy and furious.

With a long breath Harry pulled himself together: “Now can you please let me go home? I have a friend dangling from my living room ceiling and I do not know how much longer the chandelier will hold him.” Turning sharp on his heels he left the court room. He heard outraged screams promising that “THIS IS NOT OVER!” but he did not care. He could take them all on any day.

_“The Legend Begins” by Audiomachine (from “Tree of Life”)_

Ollivander’s was as dusty as ever, but nobody minded. They were here to finally get Regulus a wand. As usual Ollivander was spot on (that little play of trying out many wands was for his non-friends customers): “12 inches, Acacia and Laurel, Phoenix feather, a wand with character. After hearing of the astounding results produced by your two companions and their best friend, I found it necessary to further experiment with dual woods. This one is a bit…testy I would say. But rest assured you will learn handle its temper…most likely before any loss of limbs.”

Regulus nodded awkwardly and payed for his wand. Outside he asked: “Does he do that often?”

“He did it for all of us, though not in such a drastic manner.” Replied Blaise. Regulus paled.

“It’s alright.” Said Harry. “He probably said that to give you a little hint to what may be the best path for you. You having three creatures involved with your wand is quite a rarity. So he just saw potential for greatness and gave you a little push into that direction.”

Grey eyes, so much like his brother’s spoke of silent gratitude. Harry smiled as they went to Flourish and Blott’s to get their school books. But seemingly fate had other plans: The book store was overflowing with witches screaming about “Gilderoy Lockhart”.

“How about we owl order this year? I do not want to get in there. We would probably be squished. How about we go to Fortescue’s instead?” Offered Godric. The pre-teens grinned, running ahead.

“Let’s just hope that all this commotion is not an omen for more turbulences this year.” Sighed Salazar.

“Oh, come on, Sal, where would be the fun in that?” grinned Godric.

TBC


	2. “You’re so cool” by Hans Zimmer (from “True Romance”)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hi, I'm back. I hope you enjoy and please read the notes at the beginning.
> 
> Also, Merlin will be in this chapter, so references to BBC's Merlin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For readers of my other stories, and those who want to become readers of my other stories, here is the updated updating schedule, if you can call it a schedule, that is. I will simultaneously post three long running stories including this one. That means I have three flag ships of which I will try to update at least one every week. I am still open for requested one-shots (just send me the Character and/or relationship I should focus on, along with a prompt or theme you would like to be included, the more elaborate the theme the more likely it is that I can procure something that fits you tastes).  
> I am updating how my muse allows me to. So I might write five chapters in a row for one story. That does not mean I have abandoned the others, I am just building up creativity for the next chapter. This way I am providing people with regular updates and avoid writer’s block from writing too much in a too small amount of time.  
> The titles of my three main stories are:  
> What if ...  
> “The Stigma of the Wind” – series  
> “New World Coming”, which will likely become a series as well.

It was a truly pulchritudinous day. A day that lit the creative flames in artists of every trade, a day made for lovers to frolic and for little children to play outside underneath the clear blue sky. So when Harry woke up this morning, he knew that this simply perfect day was going to go to hell in a hand basket very soon.

And true to his intuition, Godric and Salazar were called to the Ministry for another trial day. Bidding them a hasty farewell, Harry flooed to Grimauld Place to meet up with his godparents, Blaise and Regulus. Daphne and Theo had already flooed over to the Black House for breakfast. Someone had let Theo unsupervised with a can of caramel toffee, so when Harry arrived witnessed Theo on another sugar-induced destruction spree, which caused all of them to be late. Then they ran out of floo-powder. The Knight Bus was overcrowded and they could neither apparate onto Platform 9 ¾ (a protection still in place from the war against Voldemort which no one had bothered to remove) nor into the muggle-filled King’s Cross Station. Kreacher was out shopping for groceries. So they were forced to use the muggle public transport system.

It was horrible. Regulus got motion sickness from the abrupt turns of the Tube and Theo was still high on sugar and the caffeine from the coffee he had procured from Merlin knows where. Blaise and Sirius were no help either because they got both excited over the muggle technology. Angiola was having a nervous breakdown because she a) was not in the muggle world all that often and when she was, it was connected with nasty memories and because b) she could not contact Hermione with whom they had wanted to meet up. Daphne was staring at the short skirts women around her wore, befuddled by their lack of shame. In the middle of it all stood Harry. Harry whose consciousness seemed to flicker between their normal reality and something that looked like the Wind Spirit King’s Realm.

Somehow they made it to the station before half past 10. There they met Hermione who had waited for them. Daphne and Blaise went through the barrier first. Sirius and Angiola followed promptly. When Harry, Regulus and Hermione (with a restrained Theo between them) wanted to go, the Weasley family plus Daniel Potter (whose parents were also at court for the next trial day) pushed in.

It was 10:55 when the Daniel and the youngest Weasley son ran towards the barrier.

And were stopped by a solid brick wall.

“What happened?” barked Weasley.

“I don’t know…the barrier won’t let us through!”

The two started arguing. It was 10:57.

Hermione leaned towards Harry: “I can feel house elf magic from the barrier. But it’s no signature I have ever seen before. I think the barrier is blocked to prevent the entrance of anyone trying to go through…”

10:58

The two Gryffindors tried one last time to get through the barrier. In vain. By now it was 11 o’clock so the train had already left. The entrance was still blocked and you could hear people scream from the other side, unable to get out.

“Come on, let’s get out of the station. It will calm Theo down and we do not have to witness these two make fools out of themselves even more.” said Harry, Hermione nodding along. Regulus cast a worried look towards the two lions: “Will they be okay?” he asked.

“I am sure they will be.” said Hermione, Harry suppressed an eye-roll. Regulus was too pure and innocent for this world sometimes.

Outside they found a nice sunny bench where they stuck Theo (with wandless magic) and their trunks. Hermione and Harry sat on either side of their friend who somehow had found bag of wine gum when they had not been looking, Harry suspected that he actually conjured them, a Theo under sugar influence was a magically powerful Theo. Knowing it was useless to restrain him unless there was rope and a chandelier or a bottle of muggle superglue (DO NOT ASK!), Harry just let the Ravenclaw have his candy. Regulus seemed to have calmed down a bit as well, now sitting on his trunk and letting the warm sun shine on his face.

It was five minutes after 11 when the two lions strolled past them to a pale blue Ford Anglia. Harry and Hermione watched as the two heaved their trunks into the back of the car. They both got in and after a few metres of bumpy driving, the car took off into the skies.

“Woooooooh!” cheered Theo “I wanna fly to Hogwarts in a car too!” he slurred in his renewed sugar haze. Hermione’s head snapped up. She and Harry turned towards each other.

_“Main Theme” by Trevor Morris (from “The Tudors”)_

Harry stood on the glass like expanse that was the Wind King’s domain. In front of him sat Merlin, still as young as ever.

“Thank magic,” the legendary wizard sighed “I tried to reach out to you all day long.”

“Sorry for not realizing, I was really stressed out so I thought it was just an effect of the stress. We tried to get the train to Hogwarts but a house elf blocked the entrance.”

“A house elf tried to block your entrance?”

“No, Daniel Potter’s. But we don’t know why.”

“I think I know. There have been whisperings in the spirit realms. Something dark has been released but no one knows any specifics. But some of the deceased contractors have seer abilities and they know for sure that something will happen at Hogwarts. This is also why I reached out to you.”

“To tell me that I should be careful?”

Merlin shook his head. “No, I know that you can take care of yourself, you being a contractor is enough proof of that. What I want to tell you, or rather teach you is about your powers.”

“What about them? After that initial outburst and that one time in Diagon Alley I never lost control over them again. By now they have calmed down enough that I have to call upon them if I want to use them.”

“And that in itself is a problem.” Merlin commented. He looked up to a point above Harry’s head. “Turn around.”

Harry did as he was told. There was the silver gate he had seen the first time he had visited. It was even bigger now, at least 200 feet high and around 50 feet wide. He now looked at the patterns and realized that they were not patterns at all, the door depicted a giant version of the kabbala, only it held the names of different realms than the usual Hebrew inscriptions. Harry could only read the name of the lowest realm: “World”. Slowly levitating himself off the ground he kept on reading (A/N: You better search an image of a kabbala for this, makes it all easier to understand) right above “World” was “Mind”. Both were also connected to a pair called “Earth” and “Thunder”. Above the first elemental pair were the realms of “Water” and “Fire” respectively. In the middle of the elemental square was “Wind” – a central point that connected the realms -, also continuing the straight line of “Mind” and “World”. Above the line of “Fire” and “Thunder” was the realm of “Light” directly opposite to the realm of “Dark”. These two realms were also connected directly to the wind realm, though not the “World” and “Mind” realms. Above all the realms, building a roof between “Dark” and “Light” was the realm of “Avalon”, the afterlife.

Harry slowly sank down to the ground again, though his feet did not touch the floor but he kept hovering a few inches above it. He turned to Merlin. “Why is this door here? Does it have a special meaning?”

“Yes, when you first came here the “Gate” was wide open. I sealed it shut so that your powers would not run wild but with the threat of danger I think it would be best if you learned to control them. That way you not only have your regular magic but also your element to protect you. I will now break the seal but you have to open the door yourself. Be warned though: It will all but flood your entire being with the power of the wind. And it will stay that way until you learn to close the Gate yourself.”

“So you want me to open a gate that could potentially overpower me?” Harry asked raising an eyebrow.

“It won’t overpower you if you have a big enough outlet for the initial flood of energy.”

“So what do you want me to do? Create a tornado or something in the middle of London?”

“I thought about something more practical. Like…flying four people and their school trunks from King’s Cross Station to Hogsmeade in the timespan of a few hours?”

Harry grinned at Merlin: “How do I open the Gate?”

 

Hermione Granger had gone through some weird shit (before you judge her language: this was her mind, she could curse all she wanted) in the last year and a half. Really weird shit. Sure most of the weird shit was great, she learned new things and she finally surrounded by people who understood her. So she lived through weird shit and most days it was easy to come to terms with said weird shit, after all she was part of the weird shit. But sometimes, it was a bit much. And those times called for a proper freak-out.

Now was such a time.

And who would not freak out if they sat on old-fashioned trunks that were tied together, flying at the speed of a starting airplane, underneath (far far far underneath) them the ground, next to them their sugar-crazed friend who was going through saccharine withdrawal, on their other side their shy, freshly revealed to be acrophobic friend and in front of them their manically laughing, normally calm and collected friend of questionable sanity. She wished that Daphne was here. Or Blaise. Or any of the grown-ups. Hell, even Malfoy would do…okay, scratch that he would only make it worse.

They rushed past something blue. Something blue that looked too much like a muggle Ford Anglia to not arouse suspicion. Something blue, Ford Anglia like, that contained the faces of two terrified boys. Something blue, Ford Anglia like, containing two terrified boys that flew way too high off the ground.

Hermione closed her eyes and counted to ten.

The blue, Ford Anglia like thing that flew too far from the ground and contained two terrified boys was now out of her field of vision. Well, at least something. The situation around her had only worsened. Especially Regulus whose face was now the colour of overcooked Brussel sprouts with an expression that looked like he had eaten overcooked Brussel sprouts.

So Hermione did what she knew girls where allowed, even required by pureblood etiquette, to do in such situations: She fainted.

_“Hello Darkness my old friend. I’ve come to talk with you again.”_

_Probably Hermione Granger’s thoughts when she tries to find refugee from her friends’ insanity._

_Which would make her a Simon and Garfunkel fan,_

_since this iconic line is from her song “The Sound of Silence”_

Hermione woke up when someone shoved a Bertie Bott’s Every Flavour Bean into her ear. A very wet, half eaten Bertie Bott’s Every Flavour Bean. With a shriek she shot up from her lying position. Luckily the sweet was not too far lodged into her ear, so it fell out with her abrupt movement.

“THEO!” screamed Regulus. “I am sorry, Hermione, I just turned away for ten seconds…”

“It’s alright…” muttered Hermione. “Where’s Harry? Where are we? And how late is it?” she asked when she saw that they were surrounded by their trunks on a beautiful meadow that was surrounded by forest, with the sun setting between the trees.

“Just outside the Hogwarts borders, at least according to Harry. He sent an emergency signal to Professor Snape just a few minutes ago. As for his current position…he passed out due to magical exhaustion. I tried my best to make it as comfortable for him as possible, but I am not sure if I did alright…”

Theo had apparently recovered the wet Every Flavour Bean from the ground and had now stuck it in Regulus’ ear who gave a high pitched shriek. “THEO! STOP IT YOU MORON! THIS IS DISGUSTING!” There was a short quarrel, sticks and small stones flew around, one flying directly at her, plunging her back into darkness.

 

When she awoke again it was to the face of Professor Snape: “Is everyone alright?” she mumbled.

“Yes, Ms Granger, your friends are fine, except for Mr Nott…he is…indisposed…”

“Did he try to stick a wet Bertie Bott’s into you ear as well?” Hermione asked, before she nodded off again.

_“Sakura Kiss”, version for String ensemble_

_Originally by Chieko Kawabe_

_From “Ouran High School Host Club”_

At the same time that our group of wayward preteens were transported to the castle by an only slightly disturbed Professor Snape (because, let’s face it people: This group had “weird, inexplicable and generally confusing” written all over them), at this time, two exhausted adults were stumbling into their home.

“I never want to see any of those holier-than-thou officials ever again.” Said Godric, before flopping unceremoniously onto the sofa. He screamed into the cushions. Then he raised his head to take a breath. “I mean, we gave them every proof in the universe and they still used our last names in that mocking tone. Completely fact-resistant! Especially that ugly pink toad. Ugh” With another groan he buried his face in the cushions again. Salazar took the time to hang his robe onto the coat rack and gathered Godric’s discarded dress robe folded it and placed it on the coffee table so that the elves could put them in their right place later.

With a little more grace than his partner, he also fell onto the couch, which was broad enough for the two of them to lay side by side. Godric’s head was still buried in the pillows. Sitting up Salazar started massaging his back, loosening the cramped muscles. What he did not expect was Godric’s reaction.

Soft, appreciative sighs were not completely kept in by the pillows, which was not a good thing at all. Ever since that night in early May they did not have close, non-platonic contact again. Salazar knew that Godric had forgotten all about it, due to the alcohol but it still left a sting. He wanted to hear these three words again, preferably every day, although that was being greedy. If only he could get Godric’s defences to lower again… wait…he did have the possibility to break through the lion’s walls…

Without any further ado, Salazar got up, walking to the kitchen. There was a bottle of Odgen’s Finest in the drawer above the stove – well out of Harry’s reach, heavily warded against any elemental magic, because Merlin knows what the boy would do with the bottle.

When he returned to the sofa, Godric had sat up and was now sitting cross-legged in the path between sofa and coffee table, facing the sofa and arching his back far over the table, stretching his back. When he saw Salazar approaching he got up, slowly unrolling his spine and then stretching backwards once more. Then he took the glass Salazar offered and sat down on the couch again.

Politely Godric waited for Salazar to sit first and then sank down next to him. He watched his partner and how Salazar held his glass only with his fingertips on the brim whilst leaning forward on his elbows. Godric also saw how tired and worn-out his partner seemed.

“Don’t worry. We’ll win. There is no way that they will give Harry to the Potter’s and even if they decide to, we can always call for Magic’s judgement. Considering that she raised us from the dead to take care of Harry, I have no doubt that she will decide in our favour. And they did not bring Harry in for questioning yet. Even if they won’t, Harry made his point on the matter abundantly clear already.”

“You are right…”

 

One and a half our later Godric was more than a little buzzed, drunk enough to fall asleep and enter into his painfully honest and open state once he woke up again. Right now he was talking about how cats were better than people and that bees were “chillers” unless you hit their stock with a stick. Salazar was quite amazed how his partner could still pronounce some of the words he used.

“Godric.” Salazar, said calmly. A hum came as a reply when Godric stopped his silent rant.

“Sleep, you are exhausted.” the Slytherin continued.

“Yeah, you’re right. I should totally sleep.” admitted Godric and off into Morpheus’ realm he was. Salazar shook his head. With one last fond look he took the bottle and the glasses and cleaned the lazily thrown away clothes. He himself had took of his tie and cufflinks, the shoes had already been left in the entrance hall. Godric had not bothered with such details and had taken off his shirt completely, so Salazar also covered him with one of the cashmere blankets that were next to any sitting surface in the house.

Another hour later, Godric started stirring again. Salazar was sitting next to him already, although his back was turned towards the sleeping man. A tug on his shirt alerted him that Godric was awake now. He turned.

Green eyes were fixed on Salazar, admiringly trailing all of his features. “Lay next to me?”

Complying, Salazar slid out of his shirt and under the blanket as well. There was no need to get creases into the dressing shirt and Godric was a human furnace anyways. Green eyes kept following his every move, giving a low whistle when he bared his torso. Once he was underneath the blanket, strong but lithe arms wrapped around him, a face nuzzled into the joint of Salazar’s neck and shoulder, the red hair tickling his cheek.

Salazar grinned: “If you are so desperate to be near me, why don’t you just speak to me when you are not drunk?”

“’Cause I want you to be the one to initiate things. Guess, it’s just my way of making sure that you will always stay with me.”

“You were the one who ran away last time…”

“Hm. But you know how people in love are…their actions are not always logically. And maybe I am also afraid that you do not want me anymore. I pretty much abandoned you last time…”

“You are impossible…” Salazar felt Godric’s warmth seep into his skin, slowly lulling him to sleep, he knew Godric was the same. Not wanting the night to end just yet, he continued: “You know, I don’t like your last name.”

“Pardon?” Godric asked, now fully awake again.

“It does not particularly suit you.” Salazar continued.

“What do you want me to do? Change it? If you only keep me from sleeping to be an ass, it is not earning you any brownie points, _darling_ ” Salazar knew at that point that Godric was quite pissed off with him, using endearments was an alarm bell that had always rang true before. But it was too late. Godric had fallen asleep again.

Sleep still reaching for him, Salazar propped himself up on one elbow and murmured into the redhead’s ear: “Yes, you should change it. To “Slytherin”, preferably. But “LeFay” would do as well.” Then he sank back into the cushions, falling asleep almost instantly, not hearing the whispered: “If you are going to propose to me in such a backhanded way, at least do it while I am awake, you sly bastard.”

_“You’re so cool” by Hans Zimmer (from “True Romance”)_

The first day back at Hogwarts was marked by several of the upper years – who knew about elemental magic from their parents – congratulating Harry on his immense display of power. Otherwise it was just a normal morning. Last night there had only been three of the new students that had caught Harry’s eye. One was Regulus, whom the hat had sent to Slytherin after a short contemplation. The second was Ginevra Weasley. Unlike her brothers, the hat had taken rather long to sort her into the Lion’s Den and lastly there was Luna Lovegood who had become a Ravenclaw. Hermione had also noticed her strange aura and had clarified that the girl was most likely a developing seer, maybe even an oracle. She would be haunted by inexplicable visions for the rest of her childhood and youth if no one realized her gift. Taking matters into her own hands, Hermione had promptly informed the four house teachers, who promised to look out for the girl.

Post was arriving, no one was surprised when Ronald Weasley received a howler from his mother. Daphne said that the letter was only appropriate, if her child would bring such a disgrace she would have reacted similarly.

While the Howler for Weasley was no surprise, the one reaching Harry was. The young Slytherin tried to decipher which of his fathers had written him, but to no avail. Opening the letter before it became explosive, Harry braced himself for the worst.

“HADRIAN ZEPHYRUS EMRYS-LEFAY! HOW DARE YOU! I RAISED YOU! I TOOK CARE OF YOU! I TAUGHT YOU EVERYTHING YOU KNOW! HOW DARE YOU BETRAY ME LIKE THIS! NOT ONLY COULD YOU NOT WAIT A FEW MINUTES UNTIL YOU GODPARENTS CAME OUT OF THE STATION AGAIN; NO YOU HAD TO GET YOUR FRIENDS INVOLVED INTO THIS AS WELL! NOW I AM NOT EVEN ABLE TO WATCH A MEMORY! YOU REACHED A MAJOR DEVELOPMENT IN YOU CONTRACTOR POWERS BUT YOU LEFT ME OUT OF IT! HOW COULD YOU? DO YOU EVEN KNOW HOW FREAKING PROUD I AM? DO YOU EVEN KNOW HOW ANGRY I AM FOR NOT BEING ABLE TO WITNESS IT?

Oh, for Merlin’s sake, Solomon, what are you doing? Are you sending a Howler? Solomon, no! Don’t send it! Wait, no bad owl, bad Typhoon, don’t you dare take that letter, Solomon, stop that owl! -----“

By the end of the letter the Slytherin table was in hysterics, being well aware who was behind the alias of “Solomon LeFay”. Even the normally obstinate Malfoy heir was giggling and Professor Snape was holding his napkin in front of his face, so that no one could see his grin.

Harry gave another chuckle. “Well, if this is the start to the school year, this term is bound to be interesting.”

TBC

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments = Love  
> Love= higher quality  
> higher quality = happy readers  
> happy readers = happy writer  
> happy writer = inspired writer  
> inspired writer = more chapters  
> Thus  
> comments = more chapters


	3. “Gilderoy Lockhart” by John Williams (from “ Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets”)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Note that I will have the DADA class be put together from all houses, since the great J.K. Rowling was a bit vague on that for the Chamber of Secrets.  
> Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.

After breakfast the second year Slytherins and Ravenclaws went to Potions, whilst the Gryffs and Puffs walked down to the Greenhouses for Herbology. That meant Harry, Blaise and Daphne would share their class with Hermione and Theo. Regulus was left to fend for his own, which was not a good thing at all.

Regulus would have it rough. A lot was expected of a Black who entered Slytherin. In Reg’s case especially so, since public thought that Regulus was actually Sirius’ son, since they all decided that answering questions where a de-aged Regulus Black I had come from was too bothersome. So Regulus was known as the son of the “Gryffindor-Black”, who of course had returned to the Dark but was still regarded with some suspicion. Lastly, Regulus situation was not the best to begin with. He was thrown twenty years into the future, since he had been in a coma for 12 years and had lost his memory of the eight years the healing spell reversed. In short, he was in an unusual situation to begin with and now had to fend for himself.

So, whilst the second years are off to History of Magic, let us take a look at how Regulus Black I, alias Regulus Black II, is faring for himself during Transfiguration…

It was not going well. At all. Professor McGonagall had told them to turn matches into needles. In itself, the task was not that hard to accomplish. Regulus remembered how he had done it before. of course at that time, his mother had pressured him into it. His mother’s pushing and screeching was most likely the only thing that Regulus would not miss from his old life. Good enough, since he missed everything else. His grandfather, his allies, his first owl.

At least his brother was there. And his parents were not. And maybe, just maybe it was not all that bad to be here. For the first time in his life he did not have allies, but friends. For the first time, he could do whatever he wanted, without having anything worse to fear than getting grounded. Of course, being contained in the house sucked big time, but he would never have to feel the riding crop on his palms again.

Sure, his brother’s displays of affection towards Angiola were sometimes disgustingly Gryffindor, but whenever Regulus was plagued by nightmares of a snake like face and red eyes, his brother would turn into the large, fluffy Grim hound and just lay by his side until morning.

But he was drifting off.

This lesson was not going well. And it was all his wand’s fault. It was as if the wand refused to let him do the task. Somehow, he got the feeling, that the wand felt that the task was too menial for its greatness.

Regulus gave a silent sigh. He closed his eyes and reached towards the point in his mind where his magic connected to the wand. It was a branch of Occlumency that had been handed down as a Black-family secret for ages. (His brother could do it as well, that is why he did not need to pay attention in class and still perform the most stunning tasks with his magic. Regulus assumed that Sirius had told James Potter how to do it as well, but since Potter’s mother was also a Black Regulus saw no need to let that tiny piece of information slip to his parents, it was better blackmail material however, if he pretended that he intended to tell his parents. He remembered many favours he got out of his brother that way).

Had he been drifting off again?

So yeah, Regulus reached into his mind to the joint of his magic with his wand. The whole point of this technique was to analyse why one was failing with a spell. Slowly Regulus poked at his magic. Nothing was wrong there. He “looked” at the connection between wand and core. They were perfectly in sync, much better than he had been with his practice wand. So lastly, Regulus checked his wand.

 _Why won’t you let me do my task?_ He wondered. He felt pride resonating from the enchanted piece of wood. Great, now he also had to deal with a personality wand. Those were rare, but once you managed to befriend the wand’s spirit a personality wand could make you really powerful.

 _Tsk._ Answered the wand. Regulus suppressed a groan. Great, not only a personality wand, but one that was like a spoiled haughty princess as well.

_Okay, here’s the deal. You chose me for reasons that are entirely your own. But your main goal is to protect what you hold dear. For that you thought that I was the most suited, however you refusing to let me learn is counterproductive. If I don’t learn how to use my magic, I cannot help you defend it. Now would you please let me do my job, so that we both can learn how to become more powerful?_

_Tsssssssss._ The wand’s voice was becoming clearer and clearer in Regulus’ mind. It seemed as if his little rant did the opposite of the desired effect. With another sigh, Regulus started another strategy.

_You know…I’m not used to this time. Actually I would be all alone, if not for that certain person. They have a lot of problems when it comes to their emotions. It is as if they do not know how to deal with them, since no one ever told them. So their way of making their feelings comply is to shove them away until they become over bearing. I have not seen it yet but my new brother, whom I also hold very dear, has told me that once that certain person reaches their breaking point, they become uncontrollable. I want to protect that person, even if I have to protect them from themselves. But to be able to do so, I need your help. To learn new magic. But to learn new magic, we need to start with little, seemingly stupid tasks. So please, would you be so kind to help me turn that match into a needle?_

_Yes_

Regulus felt his magic flow and saw how the match thinned, became silvery and pointy and lastly formed a small hole, where the thread would go through.

Professor McGonagall gave him a rare smile: “Very good, Mr Black. I believe that would be five points to Slytherin, for being the second to manage the task and another ten points for dealing with your personality wand the way you did.”

“Who managed it first?”

The Professor pointed to a silvery blonde girl from Ravenclaw. Regulus remembered Harry mentioning her. Luna Lovegood, seer in spe, possible oracle status. She turned towards him, gave a dreamy smile before returning her attention to McGonagall. Mystified, Regulus looked back at his match, then at the Professor. It seemed like this class at least was going to be interesting.

 

Now that young Regulus has overcome the first trial, let us return to our second years, who are right now having their first class of Defense Against the Dark Arts in this year.

Hermione’s eyebrow twitched. Theo looked like he was about to puke. Blaise’s face was frozen in an expression that made it seem as if he just found the answers to all the questions in the universe…and had not liked what he found. Daphne was making little whimpering sounds.

Harry was hovering. Yes, you read that right. He was _hovering_. In the air. Now, you may wonder, why he would do something so…pointless. Well, it was not his intention to hover. He actually did not want to hover at all, it was quite hard to move that way. The problem was, ever since the seal on his powers had weakened, he felt like he had gotten a boost of wind magic that had no place to go. The bit of elemental energy that had trickled through Merlin’s seal for the past few years was nothing against it. It was like comparing the light of a match against the midday sun.

He felt like he would burst at the seams if he did not find an output for his energy. So hovering it was. Well, on the bright side, now he had to learn the finer points of guiding the winds, otherwise his hovering would bring unwanted attention. In an attempt to find another channel for his magic, Harry tried to use his winds to move his quill. After his experiment caused a ripped piece of parchment, several ruined cloaks, two broken ink bottles and his quill being stuck in the wall of the class room (at least for the time being).

In the front Lockhart was still ranting about something. They were not even two minutes into the lesson and Harry already felt dumber than he was before entering the class room. Behind him Pansy was simpering about how Lockhart was perfect, whilst throwing expecting glances at Draco, as if she hoped that he would get jealous.

The blond was looking rather distant, as if his mind was in a faraway place. Harry took one of the scraps of parchment that his quill left behind, wrote something on it and used his winds to deliver he plane to Daphne. The little paper plane zig-zagged across the room until Harry finally found out how to control it. Overjoyed at his success he let the plane do a few loop-de-loops until it softly spiralled down onto Daphne’s desk.

The heiress opened her letter: _Could you help me arrange a meeting with Malfoy?_

She turned around. Meeting Harry’s eyes, she tipped against the parchment, as if saying “Are you sure?”. Harry nodded and leaned sideways against Blaise’s shoulder, giving Daphne a good look at Malfoy’s behaviour.

Daphne scribbled something down: _Give me a month or two. I’ll try to talk to him a bit, when he does not distrust me anymore, I’ll tell him to meet with me one night. I’ll contact you then and you can join us. That way I could also get hints on what is wrong with him._

Looking back at Daphne, Harry raised the letter for her to see, folded it in the middle and slid it into his chest pocket, patting it twice. “Message received and duly noted”

Daphne nodded and turned forward again.

Lockhart had stopped talking. If Harry’s senses did not betray him (and they never did) he heard the wind carry a soft “Oh thank Merlin” to him. By the sounds of it, this sigh of relief had come from none other than Hermione.

Lockhart pulled out test sheets about…himself? A collective groan and the love-struck sighs of all girls (with exception of Hermione and Daphne) filled the room.

30 minutes later Lockhart was collecting the papers. Harry had read the books, since they had been school material, but soon he found that half of the things written inside were fiction (for example in one book Lockhart claimed to have held down a werewolf, even trying to restrain a fully-turned wolf was something to incredibly stupid, that any sensible wizard or witch would never even think about doing something like that). The other half were clearly things that Lockhart himself did not do. It was more as if Lockhart had recorded the stories being told, written them down and sold them as his own.

So when Harry had answered the questions (which had all been about the Lockhart himself). He had written down the most degrading answers he could find without actually being insulting.

Just when the lesson had twenty minutes left, Lockhart decided to release a bunch of Cornish Pixies. He then further demonstrated his incompetence by leaving a class of twelve year olds to deal with the mess. The Slytherins were the first out of the door knowing full well that the whole ordeal was more trouble than it was worth, the Hufflepuffs had fled the room after trying to catch the pixies, the Ravenclaws had done the same after their curiosity about the small blue creatures had been satisfied. Lastly the Gryffindors had fled trying to fight chivalrously until the very end. Finally only the Golden Trio consisting of Daniel, Ronald and Lavender had been left.

Luckily Daniel demonstrated some common sense by using an Immobilus charm on the pixies, but the charm had worn off too soon, leaving the class room in utter disarray.

Harry had at that point long since left the room for lunch in the Great Hall. All in all it had been a rather fine first day back.

Such feelings were completely eradicated the next day at breakfast. Typhoon, the Emrys-LeFay family owl, and an official looking owl landed on the spot in front of Harry. Once Harry untied the letter from the second owl, the unknown bird took off. Typhoon stayed along, as if the owl wanted to wait for Harry’s response. Curious about the owls behaviour, Harry opened the letter from his family first:

_Harry,_

_Sorry but I have to be brief. We have only twenty minutes to compose this letter and we have already wasted half of them because Ric was throwing a temper tantrum. Before you roll your eyes: This time I was actually close to joining him._

_This letter will probably be followed by an official statement from the Ministry and the content will be pretty much what I will tell you now:_

_The Potters, with the help of Dumbledore, have used Hermione’s absence in court to evoke a prohibition of contact, on the grounds that we were trying to influence you in our favour, which of course is pretty stupid, if you ask me. However with Dumbledore on their side and Fudge being Minister, their proposal was accepted. Meaning: W3 are not allowed to contact you from now on until the end of the trial. Luckily, they won’t be able to either, since Madam Bones said that every party of the conflict should be treated equally, thus banning them from any contact as well._

_We have also found the elf who was blocking the entrance to platform 9 ¾. He was a Malfoy family elf and apparently not acting on orders. As it is, it seems that Lucius is planning something, or has planned something. I am talking for Narcissa when I say: Please make sure that Draco does not get caught up in things. I do not know what is about to happen. Thus the only advice I can actually give you is to keep your eyes and ears wide open._

_They are monitoring our actions, meaning that I will have no further chance to contact you or answer questions. So if you ever find yourself in need of help, look at the most unusual places. Friends and allies can come in many different shapes and sizes._

_I cannot tell you more, since this letter will most likely be intercepted, so I will settle for saying that Ric and I love you, you are our son, no matter what will happen._

_Your father_

_Solomon_

The sheet slid out of pale fingers. Harry grabbed the Ministry issued letter, crunching it in his fist. He could scream. There was something happening, and it would happen soon and Salazar could not help him because the Ministry could not keep their noses where they belonged and were bigoted, corrupt fools.

Once more he took a deep breath. So his assumption that something was going on with Draco had been right. He threw a glance at where the blond was sitting with Daphne. Hopefully his offer of an alliance would be accepted.

Yesterday things had looked, like this would be an interesting year. Now the situation looked much darker. Harry hoped, that his father was wrong in his assumptions, but he also knew that Salazar was seldom, if ever wrong.

TBC

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some of you probably heard already, but I have been at Camp Nerd (nicknamed by yours truly) and did not have a good enough WiFi connection for updates.  
> Thus there are updates on all three stories.  
> Have the most awesomest summer holidays ever, I know I will. Nerd Camp was the best thing to ever happen to me besides meeting my best friend and fellow fanfiction geek (who finally has joined AO3 this summer!).  
> I also will be travelling France for two weeks and on our way back, we will visit the Europa Park in Germany. Those of you who did not figure it out yet: I live in Europe. Though you guys will have to guess in what country and city.  
> Sorry for rambling, please leave a comment.


	4. “Main Theme” by Wataru Maeguchi (from “Kaichou wa Maid-sama”)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dear Stigma of the Wind readers. As you may have noticed, your update is a week late. I am sorry. This week my body decided that since Winter is coming, I should get a cold to end all cold and I was tied to the bed for the best part of the week, the rest were spend trying to catch up with school, I can only ask for your understanding.
> 
> Have fun reading this chapter, it is a bit short, due to me trying to get this story on track again.
> 
> Also would anyone be interested in a one-shot collection where I dump all the Ric and Sal stuff or would you rather I sprinkled it throughout the actual plot?

Salazar Slytherin was sleeping. All was nice and warm, and he was filled with the overall comfort that sleep provided. Everything was well and -

“SALAZAR SLYTHERIN! I TOLD YOU THIS WOULD COME BACK TO BIT YOU IN YOUR ADMITTEDLY AMAZING BEHIND!”

Immediately the Slytherin Founder sat straight up. Panicking, he threw on whatever clothes were closest to him and sprinted towards the origin of the scream.

Said origin happened to be his long-time friend/ex-husband/crush/partner in crime/hopefully future husband Godric Gryffindor. The irate redhead was seated in his usual chair on the breakfast table, reading the morning paper, his long hair still a bit messy from sleep, braided loosely for the sole purpose of not falling into whatever the man wanted to eat. His attire was made up of a loose T-shirt used for training, proudly emblazoned with the words: “Nah, it’s not polyjuice, I always look this good.” and some ratty sweat pants which once upon a time used to be black, but now resembled the colour of the sky on a rainy day. Green eyes were ablaze with anger, a hint of smug satisfaction and surprisingly: deep rooted fear.

“Wha’s’up?” the raven head said, not quite able to form coherent sentences just yet.

“This! This is what’s up!” the redhead seethed. Godric slapped the back of his hand against the paper, then he read out loud: “Dark Forces in Hogwarts! Yesterday night, on Halloween, an old malice has reared its head again. Hogwarts is once more subjected to the terror that is hidden somewhere in the castle. When the case was closed fifty years ago, it was believed that this threat had vanished. Well, my dear readers, we thought wrong! Last night, we have found proof that the danger is still there. And while the victim is still just a cat, this soon might become a whole new series of attacks, as the culprit themselves proudly announced by writing it on the wall in blood: “The Chamber of Secrets had been opened! Enemies of the Heir beware!”” Godric’s ire now started to manifest physically in the form of fire, that slowly started to burn away the paper.

“The Chamber of Secrets had been opened.” Repeated Salazar.

“Yes. The Chamber of Secrets. Which contains a gigantic Basilisk! And someone who believes in blood supremacy is currently trying to use said Basilisk to kill muggleborns. In Hogwarts. You know, our school…? The school where our son is currently at? Our son whom we cannot contact? Because of that insipid trial?” Godric provided.

“Oh…But how do you know that it wasn’t just Harry playing a prank?” Salazar slowly felt the gears in his head picking up speed.

“They dug up the newspaper coverage of the last time it happened. Same way of attack and victim display, same creepy messages.” Godric pointed at the unsalvageable paper.

“Whom did they convict last time?”

“A Hufflepuff named Hagrid, but only when they were close to closing the school permanently. Apparently he held himself an Acromantula. Got busted by a guy named Tom Riddle.” Said Godric.

“But an Acromantula has in no way the effect that a Basilisk has. I mean…seriously…what were they thinking? Wait…What was the name of the guy who claimed Hagrid was the heir?”

“Tom Riddle.”

“Well, that seems like a place as good as any to start looking for the true culprit.” Salazar concluded.

“Ehm, Sal, hate to burst your bubble here, but what about Harry?”

“Oh, ye little of faith. Our son is more than capable of handling himself.”

“This is going to be a long school year.” Godric groaned. Once more he wished they could simply involve the Ministry, instead of relying on their twelve year old son. But revealing what they knew would make them seem like potential culprits, so that was only a last resort.

“But I do think we should put some effort into the trial. I know we are sure to win, but the sooner we get this off the table, the sooner we can tell Harry what is going on.” Godric added.

“That isn’t a bad idea, not a bad idea at all.”

“Believe it or not Sal, I do have some brains in my head. I did not become a feared warrior on brute strength alone.”

“I didn’t say that.”

“You implied it.” Godric said, for the first time really looking at Salazar. “What in the name of Magic are you wearing!?!?!”

Salazar looked down at himself. Having dressed hastily his outfit consisted of a pair of jeans, which fit him rather nicely, and one of Godric’s shirts that had ended up in his closet for some reason. He had rolled up the sleeves and left the buttons open. He turned back to Godric, who was pointedly looking everywhere but at Salazar.

“I’ll go change.”

 

_“Victory Theme” by Neal Acree (from “Overwatch”)_

The Slytherin Quidditch team was changing after the last training session before the game against Gryffindor. Everyone was excited, and elated, since this last practise went especially well.

“Team!” called Marcus Flint, “If we play anything like this tomorrow victory is ours!”

“Yeah” muttered Montague “the only thing left for us to do is to…knock on wood.”

“Expect Marcus” added Adrian “the only thing left for him to do is to knock up wood.”

“Or just wood in general.” Added Terence.

“Did you guys practise that joke or are you really that bad at puns?” asked Marcus.

“Testy, testy Marcus. We only mean well.” Montague patted his captain’s shoulder.

“After all,” commented Adrian “even you need someone to love you. And we thought: Wood is a Keeper.”

Marcus face-palmed. “Harry.” The Slytherin seeker perked up when his captain put both his hands on the boy’s shoulders. “Whatever you do, never, ever make jokes as bad as those three’s.” for the rest of the team he called: “Now go and get sleep.”

“While you go and get some?” asked Terence. The sweaty Quidditch robe thrown into the teen’s face most likely meant “None of your bloody business, now get out!”

 

The next day dawned bright and clear. Perfect playing conditions. When the captains were to shake hands, the Weasley twins, Adrian and Terence were doing voice overs of their team captain’s thoughts, a dialogue that was filled with bad puns, worse innuendos and the worst dirty talk known to man, not that Harry would know as Montague held both his hands over the seeker’s ears.

The game itself was probably one of the tamer ones, at least for Gryffindor-Slytherin matches. And Harry would have almost believed in a game where his wondrous brother was not threatened by death, had not the thing with the bludger happened.

Suddenly, one of the vicious black balls decided to exclusively pursue one Daniel Potter. Harry looked through the stands, trying to see who might be responsible. Nothing of import came up. He finally reached the teacher’s stand and – there! Lucius Malfoy sat next to Snape, looking disinterested.

 _The one blocking the entrance to the platform on the 1 st of September had been a Malfoy elf! _Harry realized. _But the elf hadn’t been acting on orders…so keeping Daniel away from Hogwarts was going against Malfoy’s scheme, meaning that this is either an attempt on Daniel’s life by Malfoy or another way of getting Daniel away by injuring him badly enough to make him leave Hogwarts. Ergo whatever Malfoy plans probably involves Daniel…best I stop this Quidditch game as fast as possible. Now where is the snitch?_

Ten nerve-wrecking minutes later Harry was holding up the snitch. Daniel’s arm had been broken by the bludger during their race, giving Harry all the advantage he needed to catch the golden ball. Daniel was by now laying on the ground, barely having escaped the bludger, who did not stop to pursue him even after the game stopped. The ball had been destroyed by a very irate Dumbledore. Unfortunately for the boy wonder, it had been Lockhart who reached him first and their dimwit of a Defense teacher had somehow manged to vanish all of Daniel’s arm bones, meaning that the Gryffindor seeker would have to spend his night at the Infirmary.

 

_“Opening title” by John Paesano (from the Netflix-series “Marvel’s Daredevil”)_

Harry sat on his bed, deep in thought. He had expected a huge confrontation when the message was discovered. He expected accusations, insults, even bigots offering their help. He expected people to say that finally the rightful heir had returned.

No such thing.

When he asked Blaise, confused about his emotions (which mainly consisted of surprise and satisfaction), his best friend answered: “To them whoever wrote that message is a fake. You have proven time and time again just how much right you have to the title, nobody in their right mind is going to question that. And they also have slowly started to listen to what you have been telling them. This last year has opened them an alternative that they didn’t know they had, so most of them are open to change in the first place. And since you are friends with Hermione and the twins, no one will believe that you were the one who attacked Mrs. Norris.”

The Wind Contractor let out a sigh at the memories. Something seemed off. The paper had said that the last time the Chamber had been active, had been 50 years ago. He did the math and realized that must have been the time Voldemort had gone to school. Voldemort had been a Heir of Slytherin. That meant if he found out the identity of Voldemort, he could find out the culprit.

His mind wandered back to Lucius Malfoy. The man had been a known Death Eater, if Voldemort truly was the culprit…maybe there was a connection…Another sigh escaped him. He really needed to talk to Malfoy.

TBC


	5. “Possession” by Nicholas Hooper (from “The Order of the Phoenix”)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> READ THIS!!!!!!!
> 
> ATTENTION this is chapter 5, chapter 4 is available, as I replaced the absence note with it.  
> TRIGGER WARNING it gets pretty intense in the end, there’s blood

Daniel Potter lay awake in bed. Around him he felt the shadows moving. Voldemort? Had he come back? His breathing quickened. He heard his dorm mates mumbling beside him. There! A flicker! His eyes shot towards the window. Nothing. Only the moon, full and round hanging in the sky. Daniel thought of Remus and wondered where his uncle was. Slowly after his sixth birth day, Remus and Sirius had drifted away. To this day Daniel did not know where they went. But he knew that it had something to do with his brother. The same brother that had now suddenly returned into his life. His perfect life.

His perfect lie.

It was on nights like this, when the moon was full and bright, only on such silvery nights, that Daniel Potter could see the truth. There again! A shadow crossed the moon. A weird shaped figure could be seen. Four legs and something like wings. Darker than black.

Terrified Daniel Potter kept staring, not daring to move even the tiniest muscle. Once more, a shadow flex across the moon, but now he could see it perfectly: A skeleton horse, with wings like the demons he had seen in muggle churches.

He was too scared to scream. Then another movement, from the other side.

And there he was.

Albus Dumbledore. He stood over Daniel’s bed. Green eyes widened in terror.

“You know Daniel, you could have had it so easy. You could have had adoring parents, countless fans and a beautiful girl, all for free. But then you started asking questions. So many questions Daniel.”

The headmaster sat down. Daniel tried to scramble away but found that he could not move.

“About Harry, about the mutt, and the wolf. You started asking for training, for help in protecting your friends. You asked if there was a possibility to help magical creatures and why everyone treated the goblins so bad. And then the thing were you defended werewolves…”

Dumbledore ran a finger along Daniel’s scar.

“But well, it wasn’t your fault, not really. You know, that night was supposed to have happened way earlier.” Daniel did not need the old man to clarify what night was meant. “He was supposed to come after you the very first Halloween. But he slipped my net for a whole year, can you believe it? And I could only reign him in when I felt him breach your wards.”

For a moment Dumbledore kept silent as if in contemplation.

“You know, I’m only telling you this because you will forget it anyways. As you have forgotten everything after every full moon. I mean I banished your elven blood and took away your light magic, thanks for that by the way, I now have quite a lot of power at my disposal, not that I need it, but it’s always good to have a bit more, don’t you think?”

When Daniel could not reply the old man laughed. “Oh, dear, and when I cursed your father and mother, that was also a rather great move. Your father, you know…he put up such a fight. It took me years to really tame him, but his emotions were running haywire during that fateful Halloween, so in the end my slip-up paid off, isn’t that nice? Must mean that Lady Luck herself favours me…”

Bile rose in Daniel’s throat.

“Your mother was similar. Her unconditional love for you, your twin, and James made it almost impossible for me to compulse her into anything. But then I realized: Together, those parts may have been the most powerful protection. Unfortunately for poor Lily, I found a way to play her love for James against the love for you and your brother. Enough to make her loose common sense for a night. Ahh…it was truly astounding. But then she sent Harry to the Dursleys…I should have known that she was being a bit too pliant and the brat now has two protectors…but it doesn’t matter, Daniel, because I have you.”

“You…” Daniel practically punched the words out of his throat, hissed it though his teeth. He could not do much more, so he put all his disgust and contempt in that one word.

“Yes…me. And after she sent Harry away and her mind became clear, the guilt nearly ate her up alive. So it was easy for me to slip into barriers and place to mirror curse. It’s a rather tricky piece of magic, that mirror curse, because if the victim fights against it in the initial state, it simply cannot take hold. But I used some tricks on her.” Dumbledore had a smug grin that looked out of place on his wrinkled face.

“Please, Professor, I can’t live with myself…” Dumbledore cried in a falsetto voice. “So I told her she didn’t have to. I was surprised how easy it was. But, well, I never have known what it feels like to have a child, so maybe it’s nothing special at all.”

Daniel chocked on all the furious comments that wanted to escape his lips, but he was still frozen. When Dumbledore looked at him again, his trademark blue eyes shone like ice chips.

“Now for you. I can’t have you be out of control during full moon, you might get stupid ideas, won’t you Daniel?”

Something icy, slimy, and disgusting reached into Daniel’s head. It was like the claws of some horrible creature wrecking through his brain. Dumbledore’s eyes glowed. Then all of the vile claws focused on his chest, right were his heart was beating.

 _This is it._ Daniel thought _This is how it ends. I will die this way._

“You won’t die, Daniel.” Dumbledore whispered, gentle almost like one would console a child. Which Daniel realized he was “I’m merely going to sever that last bond you have.”

_No._

Pain erupted in his chest, as if the ice had crushed his heart. Pain, never ending pain, wafting through him. Finally his jaw opened in a silent scream. He felt his eyes prickle. He had not cried for a long time. The spell broken, Daniel heaved himself upwards, sitting up straight. His mouth open, gasping for breath. His vision slowly filling with red.

Bloody drops fell onto his comforter. He was crying tears of blood.

His mouth was filling with something metallic. It ran down along his open mouth, falling onto the bed, joining the bloody tears. There was no difference.

With one last silent scream, a final grab along a bond that he did not know about, but had left a gaping hole, nothing. He was alone. Completely alone.

A cough tore from his throat. More blood. He felt it trickle down his nose. Everything was red.

Then black.

And the sweet release of Darkness.

It would be the easy thing to let go.

So Daniel did.

 

In another bedroom, far below the lofty heights of Gryffindor Tower, Hadrian Zephyrus Emrys-LeFay screamed for his life, blood running from his eyes, nose, and mouth. Harry cried for the brother he was never allowed to know, for the boy he couldn’t save.

And he cried for himself.

And he swore a vow.

An Oath for Revenge.

TBC

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please let me know what you think in the comments


	6. “The Dark Knight rises” by Hans Zimmer (from “The Dark Knight rises”)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A bit of a filler, actually it was supposed to be one chapter, but I wanted to update, and it's like 1:30 over here, so I am pretty much exhausted, next update by tomorrow, if not for this, then for one of the other stories

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First things first, I am back. A week late, but I had a commission for a friend and then there was an emergency in the family. It’s okay now, but I was shaken up quite a bit.  
> Now, thank you for all your continued support, especially to those who kept commenting and reading this. Also, the commentator, who pointed out the mistakes in the Greek family motto, could you please send your comment again? I have lost it, before I could edit what I needed to. Sorry.  
> Also, after I wrote it…WARNING: this chapter is pretty dark. Or at least my attempt at it.

Harry was feeling empty, for lack of a better word. Yet, at the same time, he felt pressure. As if he was a pressure cooker, about to explode. As if his safety outlet had been cut off. The world seemed to turn too fast, yet time had slowed down. Everything was off balance. It was terrifying. Things he expected to be there were gone, the humming of wind magic inside him, gone. Yet at the same time, there were things he didn’t know. They just were _there._ Unexpected. Unwanted. He wasn’t able to understand them. He felt his eyes stinging, and a swelling in his throat, but any medical spells he knew came up clear. At the same time he felt his forehead fold itself together, into a frown. But he wasn’t displeased. No, this feeling, this…emotion, was stronger. He wanted to scream at the world, wanted to tell the world to go to hell. He wanted... he didn’t know what he wanted.

Last night, he had been awoken by pain. It had not been…nice. He felt too reminded of the Dursleys. One would think five years would have buried the scars…

He felt tired all of a sudden. He just wanted to go back to bed, but his feet were carrying him to the Great Hall…maybe he could skip breakfast…yeah…that sounded so nice…he wasn’t feeling hungry anyways…

Hungry…hungry…like the voice he heard sometimes. In the walls. A hissy voice…a voice that wanted to kill. But no one else heard it. They didn’t hear anything. So it couldn’t be Parsel. No, maybe it was a voice in his head…a part of him, forged from all the feelings he shoved aside, created by his parents’ abandonment, tempered by the Dursleys…did he wish to kill the Dursleys? On some days there was nothing he wanted more than sneaking out of bed, flying back to Little Whinging and end what he started on the day he was found by Salazar and Godric.

So maybe, the voice in the walls, the voice he was so hungry…so so hungry, maybe it was a part of himself. Salazar had that part too, the part who wanted to kill all those who had wronged him. They deserved it, after all, didn’t they? Yes, they did. And Salazar…he would understand. Harry was so much like him after all. Everyone said so. Even Salazar himself.

He would kill them, and he would enjoy doing so.

 

_“Beware that, when fighting monsters, you yourself do not become a monster... for when you gaze long into the abyss. The abyss gazes also into you.”_

_(Friedrich W. Nietzsche)_

Blaise looked at Harry. He had felt his friend being torn from sleep. As an incubus he was fine-tuned into the dreams of people surrounding him. Especially those of his friends. But last night…there had been something more. Something had deeply changed. Harry’s emotions were running haywire. They were all over the place.

Usually his friend was calmer than a frozen lake. But now, Blaise realized that the lake had been a sea, a sea before the storm. A tempest of hate was raging inside Harry’s mind, like a ferocious beast. It had been caged for too long and was now trying to break free in the most drastic way possible. And while Harry had proven himself to be strong, he was still a child.

And Blaise, he was also a child, and he knew what it felt like to have a voice inside your head. A voice that said “Take what you want! You have the power to do so. Why don’t you?”. But where Blaise had learned to tame his demons by befriending them, by finding middle ground, Harry never learned. He had shoved it all away, until he became a quite mountain lake. But the raging sea couldn’t be held down forever. Only for some time. And “some time” had been over last night. But why now?

Blaise knew that Harry would break soon. It was apparent now. Before, there had been a railing of sorts, keeping Harry from falling head first into the abyss. But now…that safety net was gone. As if someone cut it.

Cut it…cut it… Blaise felt like he was playing Sudoku, and he was missing the number that would solve it all.

Breakfast was…scary. There was no other way to describe it. Harry’s eyes were dead. And they were green. Bright, emerald green. And while Harry was shoving around eggs and bacon on his plate, Blaise was really, really freaking out about it.

It got worse when Hermione caught him when they passed each other on the way to their respective classes. “Something is wrong with Daniel Potter,” she whispered, before Theo whisked her off to potions.

And while it may not have been much, it was enough for the last piece to fall into place. Daniel Potter was off-balance, now that Harry’s dam of pent up emotions had broken. A dam he had spent years building, a dam that couldn’t be broken from the inside, so it must have been from the outside…and if Daniel Potter was feeling it. The safety net…no, not net. Outlet. The safety outlet was gone, someone cut it off…cut off what connected the two…someone broke the bloody twin bond!

 

_“Gotham’s Reckoning” by Hans Zimmer (from “The Dark Knight rises”)_

The next weeks were plagued by new attacks. It was a mess. Hermione was either in the library, looking things up, or interviewing the friends of the victims. Petrified, all of them, but Hermione said that there was no way that “Slytherin’s monster” was anything but deadly. So she kept looking for clues that tied the different cases together.

Blaise had trouble caring much. Harry had been in a constant state of murderous intent, as if he was stuck in the second before the bomb exploded. But it was all slowly becoming too much. He couldn’t keep an eye on Harry as thorough as he liked without slipping into his dreams. But that was an invasion of privacy his friend didn’t need right now. No, what Harry needed was a parent telling him that everything was alright. To calm his emotions and explain them…but Blaise couldn’t do that, he wasn’t exactly good at emotions.

Meanwhile, Regulus had started hovering, as if he sensed Harry’s despair, and imminent break-down. So Blaise tried to back off a bit, but it was hard. Like everything else was in those weeks before Christmas.

It came to no surprise that almost everyone was leaving home for the holidays, Theo had begged Hermione to do the same. She had finally relented, after stuffing her bag with old newspapers from the time the Chamber of Secrets had been opened before. Daphne had also announced her plans of leaving, she also mentioned that she finally got through to Malfoy, who was also leaving for the holidays. Not even the upper years stayed in school. Harry did though. And if Harry stayed, so would Blaise and Regulus, even if the rest of the house left. On the other hand, only Longbottom, Potter and the Weasleys stayed. So did Cedric and a first year Ravenclaw with blonde hair.

When the common room had finally been cleared of everyone else except them, Blaise turned to Harry. He had tried to be patient, tried not to push Harry the last few weeks. But now, as this was going nowhere, he would change tactics.

“What is wrong, Harry?” he asked.

“What is wrong, you ask?” Harry yelled, and Blaise realized his mistake. Harry had been waiting. Waiting for someone to push him. But he hadn’t known how to ask for help. “I feel like a monster. There is this voice I keep hearing and whenever I end up following it, I am suddenly at the scene of another attack! I…am I evil? I must be, don’t I?” Tears started spilling from his eyes, “Otherwise Voldemort’s soul couldn’t have held on to me for so long. And what if I am the one doing all of this? What if I am the “Heir of Slytherin”? What…what if I truly am bad? I know I’m too much like Salazar even on a good day, but unlike him, I haven’t got a Godric by my side.” Harry crossed his arms, as if to hug himself, “I know I am their son, but what if…what if I am not a mix of both of them. I am in Slytherin.” He started shivering, his voice high-pitched, “I calculate everything, there is no rushing in without thinking for me. I…I cannot trust myself anymore. I am too much like Salazar…and…what if, what if I don’t have enough of Godric in me to balance the dark parts…even my winds are gone! Because they decided I was too dangerous! I…am but a monster pretending to be a human!” he yelled the last sentence, arms stretched wide.

At that, Regulus, who had remained calm and silent through it all, leapt over the table. Surprised, Harry couldn’t brace himself, resulting in Regulus tackle hugging him. Both ended up on the floor.

“I may not know a lot about the Wind Contractors, but I do know enough about Elemental Magic! What you are going through is something different! Someone decided to cut the last tether connecting you to Daniel. Now that the twin bond broke, you have no overflow for your emotions. So they fester inside you instead. They create this storm you feel inside you. And Elemental Magic is a door inside your mind. But your mind is in the middle of a storm!”

“What he’s trying to say is, you can’t open a door, if outside a storm is raging. So you need to calm down, bloody hell!”

Regulus rolled his eyes, “What Blaise is trying to say is, that you now have to deal with many unknown emotions. And that’s okay. You just need to learn to control them. But when you do, you’ll be stronger for it.”

Blaise joined their hug: “The squirt is right. It’ll be better. I got first-hand experience with being a monster in human skin myself.” He gave a lopsided smile.

Through his tears, Harry gave Blaise his first smile in almost two months.

TBC


	7. “Polyjuice Potion” by John Williams (from “The Chamber of Secrets”)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Why the late update? Because of stupid rumours, a failed exam organisation and wisdom teeth. For further explanation, read the Author Note of chapter 6 of New World Coming. Also many thanks to everyone commenting, your positive feedback is much appreciated.  
> NOW THE IMPORTANT BIT: I have planned the chapters out and I am home anyways now, meaning that I will most likely update daily until I am done with the chapters. Once I have finished the second year, I will take a short break with this story. I need to plan out the third year, to avoid another hiatus ridden story like this one. I will also try to bring “What if” to an end, because let me tell you my notes for that are an absolute mess. Further plans for short ficlets in the end notes.

Christmas morning dawned bright and Hogwarts found itself once more wrapped into a thick layer of snow. Unlike last year, Blaise wasn’t overly excited for presents, mostly due to Regulus keeping him in line. The first year had reigned his older brother in by saying “Breakfast first, presents later, or do you want me to tell Angiola that you got yourself sick by eating to many sweets?”

So they all ascended into the Great Hall. After everyone had left that castle it painted a rather bizarre picture of a full head table and all but empty house tables. Once they noticed their Slytherin friends, Cedric and the twins waved the Silver trio over to the Ravenclaw table, where they had joined the blonde first year.

Cedric beamed at them. They didn’t get too much time with the Hufflepuff, mainly because of his OWLs, but now was a good opportunity to catch up. “Everyone, this is-“

“Luna Lovegood” Regulus interrupted, “we have charms together.” Harry noted that Regulus’ voice was a colourful mix of slight envy, respect, and strong underlying curiosity. A rather peculiar tone, especially since Regulus was seldom envious, and even rarer intrigued. But the Ravenclaw took it with grace. “Yes, Regulus Black, the boy with the personality wand whom the wrackspurts leave alone.”

Blaise raised his eyebrows, mouthing “wrackspurts?” as Harry who shrugged. Hermione had mentioned her fellow Raven in passing, saying she had the aura of an oracle or a seer, so it was likely that she chose to name the signs she saw. Considering Regulus’ personality, “wrackspurts” were most likely a sign of gossip mongering. Harry however found another detail of Luna’s comment much more interesting: “How come you never mentioned having a personality wand, Regulus?”

The younger boy winced, hiding his head between his shoulders, eyes wandering around nervously. “I…There was…more important stuff I guess…” he trailed off, light pink dusting his cheeks.

“More important stuff?” Blaise yelled, “My little brother managed to win over a personality wand and in such a short time that he could still hold the top of his class position within the first term that’s nothing short of amazing!”

Regulus gave a wobbly grin: “Ain’t it?”

The twins suddenly had the youngest in a double headlock, their free hands ruffling his hair: “As expected of Regulus Black”

“youngest of the Ancient and Noble House of Black,”

“Pride of the family,”

“Pride of Slytherin House”

Cedric was grinning ear to ear, before gently pulling a – now blushing – Regulus out of his misery. Once the commotion settled down, they found that the food had finally been served. This of course made Cedric mother hen them into eating even a least bit healthy.

 

_“Cakes for Crabbe and Goyle”_

_by John Williams_

_(from “The Chamber of Secrets”)_

“Tell them to be careful on their way back! Two lions are going to give in to their nargles.” Luna said to Harry before skipping off to Ravenclaw Tower. Harry frowned. Blaise and Regulus had stayed in the Great Hall to chat with Fred and George some more, Cedric had excused himself halfway through the meal, wanting to use the nearly empty common room for studying.

Harry wanted to get some headway in his presents. Christmas was a busy time and people’s attention usually was everywhere. So if you played it right, you could slip something past their barriers. Barriers, like say, a prohibition of contact. Of course, it wouldn’t be much, because magic was still involved in that sort of thing to keep the prohibition from being broken. But a few hidden messages were sure to be hidden inside presents from certain godparents. And since the press got wind of the whole Chamber of Secrets fiasco, there might even be a hint or two about where to find the Chamber and more importantly, what was hidden inside it. But first, he should relay the warning to his friends…

 

_“Lockhart'll sign anything if it stands still long enough.”_

_Quoted from “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets” by J.K. Rowling_

Harry was lunging on his favourite couch in the Slytherin common room. He stared up at the empty portrait above the fireplace. When he first heard of the prohibition of contact, he had expected to be at least able to talk to Salazar through this. But while the Ministry may be unknowing, the magic they cast wasn’t. So any of Salazar’s portraits remained silent and empty.

His eyes wandered towards the stack of presents. He had gifted books to Hermione and Theo about topics they had expressed an interest in. They both had sent him books on Runes, as he was still studying them. His studies had come to a still stand however, so he couldn’t wait for next year’s Runes course. He had told Daphne as much, so in return for a personalized stationary set, she had given him a book on Parselmagic, which she had found in her family’s library, though it looked too old to be a family heirloom of the Greengrass’. His godparents had given him a copy of “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find them” as Harry had mentioned not having one. He had expected the gift, as much as they probably had expected his encyclopaedia of muggle artefacts that he had ordered from France. He still hadn’t unpacked Blaise’s or Regulus’ gifts, wanting to wait for them.

He didn’t have to wait for long. Blaise sauntered into the room, followed by a suspiciously quiet Regulus. The first year cast a warning glance towards Harry before settling next to Blaise.

“So…Harry…what’s on your devious mind?”

“…I don’t know…should there be anything?”

“Don’t feel like releasing your monster?”

“If I must remind you, _Blaisie darling,_ my familiar hasn’t hatched yet, so I don’t even know if it’ll qualify as a monster.”

“Aww, then why not play with your ancestor`s monster for a bit?”

“I haven’t got the slightest clue what you are talking about.”

Regulus frowned. “Are quite alright, Blaise? Maybe you should visit the infirmary. You seem to have a fever or something…you seem quite pale and your cheek is quite red…”

Blaise’s hand rose to cover up the slowly forming redness on his cheek. “Yeah, that’s probably best. I’ll see you guys around,” he yelled before jumping up and running out of the common room.”

Not two minutes later the entrance wall opened again to let Blaise pass through, this time looking more like himself and with Harry’s invisibility cloak slung over his shoulder. “Man that was way too simple. We should stop giving them credit for being sneaky, though we totally underestimated them in terms of ability. Seems like Brown and Potter brewed the potion. They hid out in that second floor bathroom where we fought the troll last year. There seems to be some female ghost haunting the toilet stalls.”

“You just missed Potter.” Regulus commented, before responding to the new information: “And Moaning Myrtle’s bathroom, you say? Isn’t that where Mrs Norris was attacked?”

Blaise nodded: “The first message also appeared there. But the other attacks happened all over the castle, so it’s probably just a coincidence. I mean…it’s a mystery, really…how could they have gotten a most likely giant monster all the way through the castle and back to the Chamber – wherever it is?”

“I don’t know, but this might help.” Harry pointed towards the Parselmagic book, “It’s too old to be from Daphne’s family, so if I’m not completely mistaken, it’s probably Salazar’s.”

They didn’t have to look for long. On page four, in Salazar’s neat handwriting, two words were written: _Find TMR._

“Why do adults have to make everything so complicated? This is worse than the ordeal about Nicholas Flamel last year!” Blaise groaned, falling face first into the couch pillows, before screaming into them.

“I think Sal played it safe. He wouldn’t know how much he could get away with, so that was all he risked. And there needs to be a TMR somewhere at Hogwarts, otherwise he wouldn’t have written at all.”

“Well, the only one I can think of is Tom Marvolo Riddle. He has an award in the Trophy Room, for special services to the school, or something.” Regulus said.

Harry pushed his hair back. “I think Hermione mentioned Tom Riddle helping the capture of the culprit fifty years ago. So if we find Riddle…”

“We find the “Heir of Slytherin”.” Finished the other two.

“Okay, I think we need a task list or something,” muttered Regulus, already pulling out quill and parchment.

“First, we need to investigate the crime scenes, it might help us locate the Chamber itself. Then we need to find Tom Riddle, but we’ll probably need Theo’s and Hermione’s help for that. Let’s face it, we’re all pretty useless with research. Then we need to somehow identify the monster inside the chamber to be able to fight the thing.”

“Another thing we’ll need our Ravens for…” muttered Regulus.

“And then we – “

“Need to unpack the other presents.” Blaise interjected. Regulus groaned, leave it to Blaise to play goofball in a very much serious situation.

He had given Harry a silver charm, which would heat the black familiar egg, hopefully the beast inside would hatch sooner with the additional warmth. Harry had left the box unpacked thus far, wanting to see Regulus’ reaction first. The present was rectangular and when he tore away the package, it showed a white, box-like thing made of a material Regulus had never seen before.

“It’s a muggle gaming console. I realized you were the only one who didn’t have one, so I took the opportunity when it presented itself. We can use the remaining holidays and teach you how to use it.” Harry said, his smile just a tad on the wobbly side. So he was uncertain if Regulus would like the present…to assure his friend the first year put some extra effort into smiling. If it meant spending time with them, anything would be interesting…even muggle entertainment systems. And who knows, he might actually like it.

Blaise was as exuberant as usual where presents where concerned. He all but pushed the gift box into Regulus hands, before he tried catching Harry’s attention…to no avail. Harry was immersed in observing Regulus’ gift. Or at least it seemed that way on first glance. When Blaise made his impatience audible, Regulus looked up to find Harry staring at a white little cubic box that had definitely not been part of the heating charm.

“What is it?”

“It’s the locket.” Harry murmured, lifting the golden chain into the light. Regulus shuddered, that thing gave him the creeps. But in the festive light of the common room, it looked less threatening and more beautiful. The inlaid emeralds twinkled when Harry carefully opened the pendant. A small scrap of parchment fell out.

_Page 4_

_Page 4 (Arabic numbers)_

“That’s weird, why would Salazar specify that it’s Arabic numbers? Doesn’t the parselmagic book only have Arabic page numbers?”

“Actually, why write it twice in the first place?”

 

_“The Briefcase”_

_by James Horner_

_(from “The amazing Spiderman”)_

On the southern shore of England two men said near a fireplace, waiting for their Christmas guests to arrive. “Do you think they got all the hints?”

“We can only hope. But we couldn’t have done more without alerting the magic and by extension the ministry. That in turn would have dragged out the trial even more. And I believe it’s already been extended enough.”

“But straying the hints across a family heirloom, several old newspaper articles, and two unnamed books?”

“It’ll have to do for now. If we can wrap this up before the year is over, the better.”

TBC

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have three ideas I am currently toying with, feel free to tell me what you think:  
> A “Mathilda” inspired work of wandless magic!Harry’s childhood. Will keep it pre-Hogwarts unless a sequel is demanded. Won’t be a focus as long as SotW isn’t finished.  
> A “Mirror Mirror” AU. I know many don’t like the movie, I however did, but knowledge of the film isn’t required. Just a humorous little thing. Most likely a giant one-shot to raise my work count and experiences with fairy tail AUs.  
> A “What if James returned” Canon Divergence. In PoA, when Harry is convinced that he saw his father conjure the Patronus, he thought something along the lines of “Everyone had thought Pettigrew was dead, what if it had been the same for James?” I am playing along these lines.


	8. “Haritsumeta Kuuki” by Naoki Sato (from “Assassination Classroom”)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I recently reread part of “He came like an oncoming Storm” to avoid plot holes and could only cringe at my old writing. It was borderline crack, but I like to think I have improved and have forgone over the top comedic relief, especially when the situation doesn’t warrant it. Anyways, I would ask that you read the end notes and tell me if any of the ideas I mentioned there picked your interest. I hope you like this chapter.

The moment Draco had set down his things in his dorm room, Daphne was there to drag him off. Through the common room, out of the dungeons, and up to the seventh floor. When they reached an abandoned hallway, she seemed to be lost for a bit, pacing in front of a bare piece of wall. Then she pulled him sideways through a door. A door that definitely had not been there before. But before he could ponder doors that appeared out of nowhere, his breath was taken away be the room they had entered.

It was a spacious study, the walls covered with book shelves and a crackling fireplace on the opposite side of the room. Surrounding the fireplace were several vintage armchairs and couches all upholstered with the same dark brown leather. The tallest was a winged armchair with the back turned to the door, disabling Draco to see who sat inside it. Daphne made her way over to sit down next to Hadrian Emrys-LeFay, Regulus Black, and Blaise Zabini. They filled the couch to the left side, while the couch on the right side contained a wild mix of houses. Draco recognized the Weasley twins and a Hufflepuff prefect. There were the Ravenclaws Hermione Granger and Theodore Nott, between them a blonde first year.

“What is this…” he found no words, so he skipped that question for the more important one: “What do you want from me?”

“Sit down, Draco” said Daphne, gesturing to the single armchair, “I promise we don’t bite.”

With care the blond sat down in the huge armchair, facing the roaring fire directly. The backrest loomed behind him like a disapproving parent, his stretched feet could not even graze the hardwood floor. He felt dwarfed.

Out of the corner of his eye he saw Emrys-LeFay exchange glances with Daphne and Granger, but it was Cedric Diggory who first spoke: “Can I interest you in a cup of tea or some biscuits? I checked them, so rest assured that the twins didn’t pamper with them.”

Draco blamed it on the prefect’s yellow tie that he found himself accepting both. Hufflepuffs were known for not having a single conniving bone in their body. He could only hope against all hope that the badger would step in before his younger friends tore Draco to pieces. He had expected retaliation ever since the second day of first year. Maybe they had waited so long to make him think he was running out of time. It had worked. But in the last months he had worse things to worry about

“Draco? Do you think you can tell them what you’ve told me?” Daphne asked. Her tone was unusually gentle, signalling him that if he really didn’t want to talk about it, he wouldn’t have to. But he also knew that this group might be his only chance. He knew at least some of them had helped in saving the philosopher’s stone last year. Maybe…maybe they could help him as well.

“When the attacks started, my father wrote to me. He said he knew who the culprit was and that I wouldn’t have to worry. The Heir of Slytherin wouldn’t attack purebloods. When I tried to tell him about what Salazar’s portrait had said, he only laughed it off. He also said that only the true Heir of Slytherin would be able to control the monster.”

“True Heir? That implies it hasn’t got much to do with ideology, but more with family traits,” Granger mused, “Which means it’s parsel. Parseltongue is the only Slytherin family trait which enables the speaker to control something, in this case snakes. Ergo, Slytherin’s monster is a snake of some sort. I need to –”

“Go to the library.” Chorused the rest of the group. Draco felt taken aback. This casual friendship in between houses and years…it was weird yet felt very natural. And their behaviour was much more relaxed and happier than he felt with his own friends. Or rather, allies and minions. Was this group what true friendship felt like?

“Then I guess Hermione’s on library duty. Theo, George, I need you to –“

“Wait.” Draco interrupted, “I can help.”

“You do?” Granger asked.

“You’re not the only one who knows their way around the library, Granger.”

“Well, if we really are going to work together, you best start calling us by our first names, otherwise I’ll feel tempted to punch you in the face.” She said before motioning for him to follow. In the back Draco heard Emrys-LeFay – well, Hadrian, he heard Hadrian split the group into pairs for different tasks. Something about investigating crime scenes?

 

_“The Cheshire Cat”_

_By Danny Elfman_

_(from Tim Burton’s “Alice in Wonderland”)_

When Harry and Regulus reached Myrtle’s bathroom, the floor was covered in water. Apparently the wailing ghost had flooded the lavatory again. Hermione had told them that such incidents happened all the time, because it was Myrtle’s basic reaction when she was upset.

When they entered the bathroom, the source for the newest flooding made itself known easily. Someone had tried to flush down a little black book down the toilet Myrtle had been hiding in. Of course, that had not gone down well with the overly sensitive ghost. But when Harry asked where the book was now, Myrtle was only too happy to point him towards the sinks.

The two Slytherins crouched down, not caring much for the water as their robes were already wet anyways. Still, like often during the last few months, Harry wished he had his wind magic. When he mentioned as much to Regulus, asking if there was a way to force his emotions to calm down, Hermione had heard him. The ensuing verbal and physical smack down had Harry’s ears ringing from the mere memory. In the end, Hermione had told him that “good things come to those who wait”, before storming off, muttering about emotionally stunted males being the bane of her existence.

“It’s empty.” Regulus noted confusedly after having flipped through the book. Harry meanwhile, had caught a glimpse of golden letters on the side. “Wait a moment, Reg, this seems to be interesting.”

And interesting it was. Because on the cover of the calendar was written no other name than “Tom Marvolo Riddle”. “Looks like we found him at last,” Harry said with a forming grin. Finally they had a chance of clarity. But why was it empty? Maybe a spell to protect its secrets?

Regulus however had already started poking the pages with his quill. When some leftover ink dropped onto the page, both boys stopped and stared as the paper slowly absorbed the ink, leaving the page blank again.

“Think it’ll answer if we write something?” Regulus joked.

“Only one way to find out.” Harry said while carefully writing down: _Good evening. I am Hadrian Potter. Are you Tom Marvolo Riddle?_

“Why did you call yourself Potter?” Regulus hissed.

“I’m not telling my full name to a thing whose brain I can’t see.”

_Hello Hadrian Potter. And yes, I am. How can I help you?_

_I am looking for the Heir of Slytherin. I was told you could help me._

_Indeed I can, let me take you back fifty years ago._

Then the pages started turning rapidly, until they stopped on the 13th of June. All Harry could think of was to grab Regulus’ hand before he was sucked into the bright light coming from the Diary.

When the thing finally spat them out again, Regulus ran off to throw up into the closest toilet. Harry himself was already contemplating the new information. Apparently their groundkeeper had been framed for the murder of a muggleborn student. Framed by Tom Riddle. But why? Riddle was a muggle-raised Halfblood. It was unlikely he was the Heir. So was he protecting someone? But whom? And what about the spider?

With his mind in a riot, he almost didn’t hear the nearing footsteps. Regulus did however and pulled them both under the Invisibility Cloak. So was it that they bore witness to the strange happenings that followed.

Daniel Potter and Ronald Weasley stumbled into the bathroom. Like before, Myrtle complained to them, before pointing towards the Diary. Weirdly enough, she didn’t mention to the lions that they weren’t the first to find the book. Not before long, the males left the bathroom in search of Lavender Brown.

“Thanks for not telling on us, Myrtle,” Regulus smiled at the ghost.

“Oh,” Myrtle blushed – if ghosts could blush – “don’t mention it, Regulus. I was happy to help.”

 

_“His eyes as green as fresh pickled toad_

_His hair as dark as a blackboard_

_I wish he was mine, he’ really divine_

_The hero who conquered the Dark Lord”_

_Love poem by Ginny Weasley (and probably Tom Riddle)_

_From J.K. Rowling’s “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets”_

Harry never expected to feel pity for his brother, but when Hermione told him of the Valentine’s Day incident…well, some things you do not even wish upon your worst enemy. However, he had bigger things to worry about. Not two days after Valentine’s, the twins overheard Daniel complaining that Tom Riddle’s Diary had been stolen. Harry cursed himself, he should have stolen the thing back earlier instead of playing it safe and waiting for an opportunity. With their most important source of information gone, Harry pulled everyone together to discuss their next steps.

It had taken them almost a month, but all the attack scenes had come away clear, they had lost any lead to the location of the Chamber’s entrance. However, Theo was looking into old student records, hoping to find the final victim from fifty years ago. Hermione begged Harry to repeat any and all clues Salazar might have given him. So he listed off all his Christmas presents and the mysterious note with “page 4” written on it twice. At that point Hermione’s eyes had lid up and she had dragged Draco off to the library.

Having nothing else to do, Cedric returned to his OWL studies and the twins escorted the two first years back to their dorms. Daphne, Blaise, and Harry remained with the Marauder’s Map. They were scouring map in hopes of actually catching the culprit red-handed when they saw the male parts of the Golden Trio sneaking down to Hagrid’s Hut. It seemed that Riddle had showed them the same memories and they were now finally acting on it. Since it was maybe their only chance, Harry and Blaise snuck out under the invisibility cloak, while Daphne would return to the common room to give them an alibi in case someone asked where they were.

 

_“The Whistleblower”_

_By Two Steps from Hell_

_(from “The Devil wears Nada”)_

They reached Hagrid’s Hut just in time to see Dumbledore being escorted out by Lucius Malfoy and Hagrid being escorted to Azkaban by some Ministry officials. The groundkeeper’s parting statement didn’t help much either. “Follow the spiders”, why should they follow Acromantulas back to their nest? That wasn’t even risky anymore, that was just plain stupid. So imagine Harry’s surprise when he saw the cabin door open, revealing Potter and Weasley with Hagrid’s dog going off into the forest.

“Oh come on!” Blaise groaned.

“Let’s just go after them, if only to make sure they don’t kill themselves. If the Potters lose their precious boy wonder, they’ll never leave Sal and Ric alone.”

Blaise just grunted, agreeing albeit reluctantly so.

The hike into the forest was uneventful, except for them being discovered by the two lions. After offering their help and an exit strategy, in case they landed themselves in hot water, the group of four continued together.

Harry should have expected it. He really, really should have expected it. Once the spiders were done with proving Hagrid’s innocence, and making cryptic comments about the true Slytherin’s monster, the eldest spider left them for dead. Or rather, left them as a delicious snack for its descendants.

They were too many. Not even spider-repelling charms helped. Then there was a bloody enchanted car. Luckily the Gryffindors let them in as well, mainly because Blaise kept firing spells at the spiders to clear their way to the car. It was messy. It was fast. It was something they would never do again. This resolve only grew after the car physically threw them out on the edge of the forest.

When they finally made it back to the common room, Harry and Blaise collapsed onto the couch in front of the fireplace. They fell asleep immediately.

 

_“The Spiders”_

_By John Williams_

_(from “The Chamber of Secrets”)_

The next morning started the nightmare that would be the following weeks. Harry, Blaise, Regulus, and Daphne were awoken by a hurried looking Severus Snape. He ushered them out of the dungeons, where they met with Cedric who was being hurried along by Professor Sprout. On their way up the stairs they met with Professor Flitwick leading Theo, and Luna. When they finally reached the hospital wing, they were met with a grieving Minerva McGonagall, and solemn looking twins. Still, reality didn’t quite sink in until a haggard looking Madam Pompfrey showed them towards two beds at the end of the hospital wing.

“They were found near the library by a prefect patrol last night.” McGonagall said, voice broken, “They stood close together, we found this in her hand,” she continued, handing Harry a small mirror, “Do you know what she could have needed it for?”

“No, I’m sorry, Professor.”

Theo’s knees gave in. “So that’s what he meant with “even purebloods aren’t safe anymore”,” in his hand he clutched a letter from his father, “this is why he’s pulling me from school.”

On the beds before them laid Hermione Granger, and Draco Malfoy. Both petrified.

 

TBC

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have three ideas I am currently toying with, feel free to tell me what you think:  
> A “Mathilda” inspired work of wandless magic!Harry’s childhood. Will keep it pre-Hogwarts unless a sequel is demanded. Won’t be a focus as long as SotW isn’t finished.  
> A “Mirror Mirror” AU. I know many don’t like the movie, I however did, but knowledge of the film isn’t required. Just a humorous little thing. Most likely a giant one-shot to raise my work count and experiences with fairy tail AUs.  
> A “What if James returned” Canon Divergence. In PoA, when Harry is convinced that he saw his father conjure the Patronus, he thought something along the lines of “Everyone had thought Pettigrew was dead, what if it had been the same for James?” I am playing along these lines.


	9. “The Spiders” by John Williams (from “The Chamber of Secrets”)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Life got in the way. Feel free to roast my procastinating behind for it. I probably deserve it. Anyways. I'm back on track....ish. Comments are appreciated.  
> Also: story ideas. I don't know if you've read them yet, but I'd be interested in hearing your opinion on what I should write while I plan 3rd year.  
> I have three ideas I am currently toying with, feel free to tell me what you think:  
> A “Mathilda” inspired work of wandless magic!Harry’s childhood. Will keep it pre-Hogwarts unless a sequel is demanded.   
> A “Mirror Mirror” AU. I know many don’t like the movie, I however did, but knowledge of the film isn’t required. Just a humorous little thing. Most likely a giant one-shot to raise my work count and experiences with fairy tail AUs.  
> A “What if James returned” Canon Divergence. In PoA, when Harry is convinced that he saw his father conjure the Patronus, he thought something along the lines of “Everyone had thought Pettigrew was dead, what if it had been the same for James?” I am playing along these lines.

The following week was a mess. Most of Slytherin house was pulled out of school when the news of Draco’s petrification spread. Theo tried to placate his father, but to no avail. On Tuesday Lord Nott himself stood in the door of the Great Hall, dragging his reluctant son home. After much begging – mainly from her younger sister – Daphne left the school on Friday. In the end, only fifth and seventh year snakes remained along with Blaise, Regulus, and Harry. Seeing Slytherin house vacate the castle spread the panic even further. It seemed that the families had lost their supposed immunity to the horror inside the school. Even non-pureblood supremacists started taking their children home after that and rumours of the school’s imminent closing spread. When Xenophilius Lovegood took his daughter home on Saturday morning, the remaining five felt like the world was ending.

Harry was going crazy. Not knowing what he was up against…losing friends right and left. And the school…what if the school closed? He couldn’t let that happen! Cedric seemed to be of a similar mind set. The prefect had caught wind of the debates within the faculty. To cancel the exams. But Cedric - with backing from the other houses – convinced the teachers to proceed with the N.E.W.T. and O.W.L exams. His reasoning went along the lines of “Why let the school stay open if you’re going to cancel the exams? What use would remaining in class have?” So Cedric excused himself from the immediate snooping around and focused on keeping the morale high.

Speaking of snooping around, there had to be something that would clue them in on what the monster hidden inside the chamber was. They had finished their little investigation into the attack scenes, so the hints were all there. Now they just needed to connect them. The snakes hit the library, while the twins kept looking into other, more overlooked attacks. When they came together two weeks after the double attack, surprising circumstances came to light.

“Why would someone kill the roosters?” Harry was floored. It didn’t seem to make any sense, but the rooster killings started right after Halloween. They had looked into the budget records for hours until they found the last killed rooster. 50 years ago, right when the first series of attacks started. It was too much of a coincidence to not draw a connection. But how did it fit into the picture?

“Well, this monster has to have some weakness,” Regulus piqued, “and if I were a psychopathic monster handler out murdering innocents, I would destroy any threats to my murder weapon of a pet as thoroughly as possible. In this case, it would be to kill the rooster.”

“But what kind of monster,” Fred started, “is afraid of a rooster?” George finished.

“I read that somewhere…” Blaise muttered, “Mom has always been fascinated by lethal creatures, so I grew up reading quite a lot about them. And I remember something about the cry of a rooster being able to kill…something…a snake of sorts, I think.”

“A snake!” yelled Regulus, “Of course!” he ran into the shelves only to return almost immediately with a heavy tome. The younger Black brother rifled through the pages: “It’s gone. There’s a page missing.”

“It looks like someone ripped it out, doesn’t it?” Harry wondered, before answering his own question: “Let’s check the library records to find out when the page went missing.”

They started fifty years ago, in hopes of maybe finding another lead. “Hey guys, check this out, our guy “Tom Riddle” checked out the book over summer the year before the attacks started.” The twins pointed towards a single line that they would have overlooked, had it not been for the familiar name.

“You thinking what I’m thinking?” asked Blaise.

“Definitely. He must have been involved somehow. Or at least, he knew something.”

“But he returned the book in perfect condition…” muttered Blaise.

“Because the page had only been ripped out recently,” Regulus said from the other side of the table. He held the newest records. He pointed to the most recent one: “Hermione Granger.”

They had not run that fast since they had discovered the three-headed dog last year. So saying that they made it to the hospital wing in record time would be a bit of an understatement. All in all, they were lucky Madam Pomphrey let them in, despite their lack of a chaperone.

Harry checked through Hermione’s book bag in hopes of finding the lost page. His friend would have hardly stuffed the page into her pockets, it could have been lost. But nothing turned up. “Check Malfoy’s bag,” he said to no one in particular while he went through the pockets of Hermione’s cloak. He tried to think like his best female friend for a minute. She just solved a mystery many had failed at. She must have been elated, excited. And most likely terrified. Hermione liked holding things in her hand when she became scared. Her one had was still linked with Malfoy’s. Whatever must have been on that page must have filled them both with dread to willingly hold hands like that. Harry felt a whole other kind of dread just thinking about it. The uncertainty was driving him insane. Especially now that he was so close to finding the answer.

He needed some form of solace, of peace. And peace usually meant holding his friends close. For a moment he forgot Hermione was petrified, that she wasn’t there, so to speak. For a moment he just grabbed her hand for the familiar comfort of having her near. That was when he felt it. Instead of smooth stone, there was rough parchment, whispering against his palm. Carefully he distracted the sheet of parchment, already guessing what it was. The page was not even fully unfolded when his eyes began reading, greedily soaking up the information. The way out, a hope to end this horror story of a school year. But with each line he read, he felt his helplessness creeping in. Felt terror grip him, as it must have gripped Hermione and Draco. Fear sunk its claws even deeper when he realised that…it fit. There were no contradictions. Rather, it was as if someone had looked at what was happening in this school and created a monster to fit the circumstances.

Unlike Hermione, who went stiff with fear, Harry went limp when scared. Years being beaten down had ensured that. Best to roll with the punches. To be soft, but also bendy. So when this realisation, this terrifying, horrible realisation crashed into him, his fingers did not curl into the parchment. No, they went loose, letting the page slip through his fingers.

At the periphery of his mind, he noted one of the twins grabbing the page.

Around him, the world went on. He felt his mind poke and prod at his new found knowledge, looking for the one detail that would topple it over. But finding none. Still, one question remained:

“How would a Basilisk move throughout the school without being noticed?” Blaise asked, just as desperate for a counter argument as Harry was.

“Hermione wrote something down here…” Regulus pointed out, eyes squeezed almost closed to make out a word, “but it’s blurred. The monster must have surprised them.”

“Speaking of surprised, it says here that a look into the eyes of a Basilisk kills instantly, might I remind you that no one had died? Pray tell, why is that?” Blaise seemed beyond desperate now. No, he was in straight up denial.

“Because no one had looked at it directly,” whispered Harry.

“Of course!” the twins exclaimed, going over the different attacks and how each time something had been in the way.

“So what now?” Blaise sounded defeated. Who could have blamed him? There was a 900 year old Basilisk running amok in a school full of children.

“Now, gentlemen”, interrupted Madam Pomphrey from the door of her office, “you go to bed. It is nearly curfew and we don’t need another attack.”

 

“You know,” Blaise commented when they sat down in the common room, “I feel a bit stupid for not figuring out it’s a Basilisk earlier. I mean, it’s even mentioned in “Fantastic Beasts and Where to find Them”, you know, a first year book? Somehow I just feel like we should have figured that out ages ago.”

Harry perked up. His eyes remained dull and unfocused for just another moment, before he went digging through his book bag with vigour.

“Harry, what the heck?”

“I just realized that “B-a” is pretty close to the beginning of the alphabet.” Harry oh so helpfully not-explained while he pulled out the book he had been searching for: “Fantastic Beasts and Where to find Them” he skimmed through the introduction pages – numbered in Latin – before slowly turning the pages with Arabic numbers. Then he all but slammed the book onto the coffee table.

The elusive “page 4” was opened. Now it made sense why Salazar had written his hint in both Latin and Arabic. Because printed on “page 4” – opposed to “page IV” – was the entry about basilisks. And between the end of the entry and the start of the next one, Salazar had written one word. One single word that cleared one of the last two mysteries:

_Pipes_

“So,” Blaise drew out the word, before flippantly ending with: “What now?”

“Now?” Harry grinned: “Now we find the Chamber of Secrets.”

 

TBC


	10. “Nothing Out There” by Hans Zimmer (from “The Dark Knight rises”)

They had snuck out after dinner. It was technically a rule break, with the new and earlier curfew, but the teachers would not start patrolling until the sun had set. Spring was slowly bleeding into summer, the sun set later, so when they arrived at the Great Hall it was painted golden with evening light. Somehow the stillness of the room made it eerie. Like this atmosphere of peace and quiet was as fleeting as the safety of a hallway. It had been there once, but destroyed by the nameless terror haunting the castle.

All Harry saw however, was another reason to find the cursed Chamber already. To bring an end to this. It had been two weeks since they had started actively searching for it, four since Hermione and Draco had been attacked. So far, they had not the tiniest lead on where the Chamber might be hidden. Therefore, it came as both a blessing and a curse when the twins remembered the secret passage out of the Great Hall. A blessing, because there was finally a hint. A curse because Harry couldn’t squash the flicker of hope he felt. It would fit for the passageway solely for the Slytherin heir to lead towards the Chamber of Secrets. After all, the passage was designed as an escape route for emergencies. And the Chamber could only be opened by Slytherin’s heir, it would make a perfect safe room.

He waited underneath the cloak, waiting for the twins. They had split up while Blaise and Regulus checked on how far the Golden Trio where in their own solving of the mystery. Last year could have ended in a disaster, had it not been for Godric’s and Salazar’s swift intervention. This year, they couldn’t hope for adults to save them. That is, if they went in at all. Wherever the Chamber was, inside was a full grown Basilisk. Read: Not something any Hogwarts student should be confronted with.

Still, it would do them good to find the entrance and then maybe leave it to the faculty or inform the aurors. Whatever seemed the most sensible. When he had brought it up to his friends, they had been more than agreeable, much to his surprise. But general consensus inside that group was: “What can we do against a Basilisk? Nothing! So we remain calm and let the grown-ups handle it for once.”

The twins’ greeting was them pulling at his invisibility cloak, before following the sound of his steps to the portrait. Once they were inside, Harry activated the gate stepped out into the second floor corridor.

Just like the year before, he wondered why it was so close to the lady’s restroom. Then a thought struck him. A student had died in a bathroom the last time the Chamber had been opened. A muggleborn girl to be specific. What if she never actually left the place of her death?

_“Moaning Myrtle”_

_By John Williams_

_(from “The Chamber of Secrets”)_

The bathroom was flooded again. But Myrtle wasn’t in sight. So they used some drying spells and waited. A minute turned into five, turned into twenty, turned into an hour. An hour became two and soon night had fallen. Harry remained vigilant while Fred and George took the first turn sleeping. He looked towards the ceiling wondering if his parents got any sleep. But when he saw the silver full moon shining through the window, Harry decided it was probably for the best that he wasn’t sleeping. Merlin knows what dreams he might be tortured with. Full moon nights were tricky like that. You could get prophetic dreams. But sometimes you wouldn’t get prophetic dreams. It was the dreamer’s job to figure out which was which. And Harry had not mastered that particular skill yet. Salazar did however. He just preferred to not know the future, as it usually made things more complicated than they needed to be.

It was shortly before sunrise, when Myrtle finally appeared. “What are you doing here?” she screeched. Harry took a deep breath. Next to him the twins stirred. “I came to ask you how you died,” he answered the ghost’s question.

Myrtle’s face turned a misty silver. As if she was doing the ghost version of blushing. For a moment Harry thought he might have offended her, when she replied dreamily: “Oooooooh, it was dreadful,” she sighed and then went on to relay the story of how she had hidden in the toilet stall (what was it with girls and hiding in toilet stalls?) and how she had heard a male voice mutter something weird and when she came out to tell the guy off, she had only seen a pair of yellow eyes and dead she was. When Harry asked where exactly she had seen the eyes, Myrtle pointed towards one of the sinks. After Harry thanked her, Myrtle vanished with a loud wail by diving headfirst into a loo, splashing water everywhere. That woke up Fred and George.

Harry – having been awake all night –split up with them, making his way towards the common room. The only lessons he would be missing were DADA and history, so no big loss at all. Before he left a note for Blaise, saying to let him sleep.

 

At the same time Harry’s head hit the pillow, Salazar’s eyes opened. He had dreamt of weird shapes. Of red and of a message, smeared across a wall… He looked at Godric who was leaning over him. “Ric…I fear something terrible is about to happen. We have to win this trial. Today.”

 

_“The Chamber of Secrets”_

_By John Williams_

_(from the movie of the same title)_

“Harry!” a voice yelled, Harry blinked his eyes open, one hand already reaching for his glasses. A helpful but impatient hand pushed them onto his nose. The dorm room came into focus. Regulus was leaning over him. What could make his friend so impatient that he couldn’t wait for Harry to wake up by himself?

The question answered itself after Regulus had dragged him up the stairs to the place where they had attacked Mrs. Norris. He saw the twins, but could not quite acknowledge them. Not when above their heads (had they fallen to their knees?) the writing on the wall boldly declared:

_Her skeleton will lie in the Chamber forever._

“Who?”

“Ginny”

 

TBC

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's a bit short of narrative purposes (and because I wanted 13 chapters for the aesthetic)


	11. “The Chamber of Secrets” by John Williams (from "The Chamber of Secrets")

While Regulus was explaining how he and Blaise had snuck into the staff room, how they overheard McGonagall inform the other teachers of Ginny’s abduction, how Lockhart had swooped in and the other teachers set him on the monster’s trail. Harry heard the words, but didn’t listen to them. His focus was on the twins. Both pale. Both terrified for their sister. Harry himself held little sentiment towards Ginny, for a lack of interaction on both sides. Aside from her being the youngest and only Weasley daughter, and Ginny’s obvious infatuation with Daniel, Harry knew next to nothing about the first year. But he felt for Fred and George. If Regulus suddenly was kidnapped by a basilisk, Harry would blow a gasket. A massive one.

Massive enough to make him throw sense out of the window. He kept looking at the twins. Their twins. His friends. Friends who – for some reason – accepted being ordered around by a twelve year old. Friends who stood by his side, against their house and family. His friends. His. His! HIS! And someone dared, _dared_ to hurt them. By abducting their sister. Hurt them! His friends! Oh, he had been annoyed before, them having attacked Hermione and Draco, having driven Theo, Luna, and Daphne out of the castle. But this, this was the last straw.

“Let’s get this bastard.” He hissed, interrupting Regulus. The first year stared at him, unaware of the storm brewing inside of Harry.

Blaise shrugged. Unlike Regulus he knew how Harry looked like when he was furious. The second year had been waiting for this to happen. For his friend to take personal offence, to get protective, for mere annoyance to boil over into anger. Harry was pissed. And if Blaise guessed correctly – as he usually did, no matter what Reg said – Harry was done playing nice. Well, who knew? Might as well make this a team effort. “I’m all for our typical routine of, swoop in, save the Gryffindor in distress and generally being the secret heroes, but I think you missed a critical point here: We do not know where the Chamber is.”

The twins had caught on to what was happening. Their snakes were willing to play lions for the day. To save the school. To save their sister. For them. Well, if Slytherins could be Gryffindors for a bit, Gryffindors should be able to be Slytherins as well – for a bit. They gave each other a glance before giving their snakes identical, downright vicious grins: “Oh, but we know. The only problem is getting there. If you haven’t realized: Teachers are going to be swarming this place soon.”

“We’ll figure it out along the way,” said Harry, already rushing off towards Myrtle’s bathroom.

The others followed him, leaving behind a confused Regulus. “What’s going on?” he yelled running after them.

“We’re going to fight a basilisk. And save both the school and Ginny Weasley along the way,” Blaise huffed once Regulus caught up to him.

“What happened to being sensible?”

“Screw being sensible!”

Regulus slowed for only a second. That was unexpected. But he could work with that. He could definitely work with that.

 

As they ran past Lockhart’s office, they heard tumultuous noise coming from inside. Harry saw Lockhart panicking through the ajar door. The others stopped as well, standing behind him to look over his shoulder. “I think we just found ourselves a hall pass, don’t you think?”

 

_“Entrance to the Chamber of Secrets”_

_By John Williams_

_(from “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets””)_

It had been laughably easy to convince Lockhart to accompany them. The man was so horrendously incompetent that all it took where two second year wands aimed at him and he complied. More than that, he even confessed to having stolen the achievements of others and claimed them as his own. The twins had interrupted him at that point. “No one cares! Get us to the bathroom.”

When Lockhart had only looked at them confused Fred had grabbed his arm and physically dragged the man with him. Harry sometimes wondered whether things might have gone differently if they had listened to Lockhart’s whole tale.

They stood in front of the sink Myrtle had indicated. Harry wasn’t quite sure where to go from here. Sure, he knew the thing somehow led to the Chamber, but to him it looked like a perfectly ordinary sink…unless…Myrtle had mentioned weird hissing sounds. Harry looked at the sink more closely. He must look like a madman, he absentmindedly thought. Then, finally he found the hint that they were indeed in the right place: a small snake carved into the tap. Wasting no time he hissed: _“Open!”_

With a bone shaking crunch, the entire sink, plus the wall behind it sank into the ground, leaving a gaping hole. You couldn’t see the bottom of the pit, and Darkness wavered inside like a liquid almost living thing.

“At least it sets the atmosphere,” commented Blaise with a raised eyebrow. Regulus groaned. Trust Blaise to not take anything seriously.

There was a short moment of silence, before Lockhart further sealed his fate by saying: “Well, time for me to go, you obviously don’t need me here anymo-” He turned around only to be face to tip with the wrong ends of the twin’s wands. “Oh no, professor. You’ll go first.”

“Boys,” he drawled, while the twins backed him towards the edge of the tunnel “What good would it do?”

“Better you than us,” Blaise hissed from the side lines.

Lockhart’s arms where outstretched to avoid falling: “You sure any of you don’t want to test it first?” at the blank looks he received, he turned towards the hole. “Oh my...” he muttered. When he didn’t seem to come to a conclusion, Regulus gave him a shove that tipped him finally over the edge.

There was a scream. Then a thud. Then silence. Everyone gathered around, wondering whether they had ended another DADA professor, when finally: “It’s really quite filthy down here.”

With one last glance at each other they jumped into the tunnel.

TBC


	12. “Entrance into the Chamber of Secrets” by John Williams (from "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets")

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m back. I’m late for reasons I am for once not willing to share. Also, I updated the wand woods and cores, the chapters I edited are namely the 4th chapter of “He came like an oncoming Storm” and the 2nd chapter of this story. I recently read the entire wand lore on Pottermore for this purpose, as I wanted to remain close to the source material.
> 
> HERE ARE THE NEW WAND COMPONENTS, THIS IS IMPORTANT
> 
> Harry – Blackthorn and Cypress, Phoenix and Dragon  
> Hermione – Maple and Walnut, Dragon  
> Blaise – Aspen and Pine, Dragon  
> Regulus – Acacia and Laurel, Phoenix
> 
> Also, an ACOTAR reference snuck in there, can anybody find it?

“As soon as you seen movement, close your eyes.” Harry said as they prepared to spread out into the surrounding tunnel systems. “Snakes have a good sense of hearing and smell, with the echoes its hearing shouldn’t be a problem, but I have absolutely no idea how to hide from its sense of smell. So stay together. Created some noise to confuse it. And keep your eyes closed.” He repeated at the end. Once more he had to hope. Hope that this bout of Gryffindor courage – more like insanity, but whatever – wouldn’t get them killed.

Surprisingly, the tunnels were pretty linear. Little to no pathways led away from the main tunnel. But they were on the right way. Slowly the sewage pipes became older, tiles missed from the walls, until they stopped altogether. They wandered through a barren stone tunnel, akin to a mine drift. The skeletons of the Basilisks victims slowly became bigger. They were now in a part of the tunnel system that had already existed when the Founders’ Heirs were still openly at Hogwarts. For a short moment Harry wished Hermione were with them. She would have enjoyed mapping the tunnels and noting down every crook and nanny of the path system.

Lost in thought, Harry almost stumbled over the end of the tunnel. The smooth stone of the shaft had opened into a natural cave. They had to be miles beneath the school.

He felt the twins at his back. Reassured, he moved further into the cave, the bones in this part of the underground tunnels had long since been scattered into the many rifts in the ground. The cave in general gave a rather instable impression. He heard Blaise gasp and that was all he could realize before the twins pressed their hands across his face. Angrily, he fought them off, when his foot knocked against something.

The skin was massive. And in the shadows of the cave, no one could be blamed for thinking it was the actual basilisk. Curiously, he followed the shed scales, carefully watching his step. He heard Regulus give a squeak – “Something just touched my arm!” – before the young Black was already next to him. Harry couldn’t blame him. He was quite terrified as well and if he was honest with himself he would be clinging to Regulus right now. Or to Blaise. Or the twins. Anyone, really. So, he ignored the advantage of having both hands free and grabbed Regulus’ hand. For both their comfort.

“The adventure ends here boys!” Lockhart yelled all of a sudden, holding out Regulus’ wand, “But don’t fret. The world will know our story.”

Harry saw the twins pulling Blaise behind them. George had his wand at the ready.

As Harry urged Regulus further away, Lockhart continued: “How I was too late to save the girl,” He pointed the wand towards Fred, “and how you lot tragically lost your minds at the sight of her mangled body.” Harry saw the twins turn pale at the mental image. Lockhart smirked. Then he turned towards Harry and Regulus. “Now first the ring leader. Say goodbye to your memories, Mr Emrys-LeFay.”

“Obliviate!”

A yell.

A thud.

And then a rumbling from above, the sides and below.

Without thinking, Harry turned, pulled Regulus close to him and threw them both forwards, away from Lockhart and the others. Behind them he felt, rather than heard the cavern ceiling give in. He threw up a shielding spell as the debris tumbled around them.

When the dust finally cleared, the two Slytherins got up, climbing to rocks towards the voices of their worried friends. “Are you alright?” yelled Blaise. The incubus had been oddly subdued after they had entered the tunnels – he had been just as terrified as the rest of them, Harry thought.

“We’re fine. What about you guys?” Regulus yelled.

“The memory charm backfired. Reg’s personality wand didn’t take kindly to being pointed against its owner. Lockhart completely barmy.” One of the twins yelled. Through the rocks Harry couldn’t tell which one, “Otherwise we’re fine.”

Harry nodded, before realizing that they couldn’t see him: “Reg and I will go on. You guys try to clear up the tunnel. Keep in mind that we may have to carry Ginny out of here.”

“I’d actually rather not think about that.”

 

_“Apparition on the train”_

_By John Williams_

_(from “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban”)_

 

“Take my wand.” Harry murmured as they slowly edged into the curving tunnel. Behind him Regulus sputtered.

“I can use wandless magic and you need something to defend yourself with. Besides, you tamed a personality wand, and my core is mainly phoenix feather, like yours. Considering that and the fact I willingly handed it over, there shouldn’t be any trouble. But I’ll go first just in case.

They were now clutching at each other’s hands, clinging to the bit of comfort in the dark, dingy tunnel. Harry dreaded what was to come, yet hoped that it would be over soon. The sooner they got there the sooner they could save Ginny and get the hell out of here. On the other hand, the sooner they got there, the sooner they would have to face the basilisk.

The tunnel ended after a final bend. The air was now humid and smelled of…something. Something alive. Harry heard Regulus gulp behind him. Once more, he felt inclined to follow the action. Before them, on the tunnel wall, were two engrave snakes with emeralds in their eye sockets. Two snakes who looked terribly alive for something carved out of stone.

“Oh sweet Merlin,” Regulus breathed, his voice hoarse with fear and excitement.

Harry concentrated on the lower snake, with confidence and regalness that he did not feel he hissed: _“Open for the true Heir of Slytherin!”_

The snakes slid aside, the wall cracked open and slid apart. The magic still ran smoothly after over a millennium of existence, and Harry would have been impressed and interesting in finding out how it worked, had it not been for the pressing matter of having to save a life. Add to that that they were both not even in their teens and had only one wand with them…chances of survival weren’t exactly high to begin with, but after that cave disaster, they had dropped even further.

Where’s that Gryffindor courage now?, Harry wondered. I have come this far, he thought, I will not back down now. I am here to save Ginny and the school. I am Hadrian Zephyrus Emrys-LeFay, I am the true Heir of Slytherin. I will not be cowed by some impostor. With that final thought he set his shoulders straight, took a last deep breath and stepped into the Chamber of Secrets.

 

_“Bathilda Bagshot”_

_By Alexandre Desplat_

_(from “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part I”)_

 

The Chamber was even darker than the tunnel. He heard Regulus summon a light but the dancing movement and Regulus’ shivering hand made the shadows seemingly come alive. The empty eye sockets of the snakes seemed to follow them as they made their way further into the chamber. He felt Regulus press himself even further into his back.

Harry wished that Blaise were with them. His best friend would likely crack a joke or something. Yes, something like: “Man, Salazar sure had a knack for creepy interior…do you think he’d teach me?” The thought had Harry chuckling. When he shared his musing with Regulus the boy relaxed a bit. “Yeah he would. And then he’d meander off between the pillars and when we least expect it, he’d jump out between them, and scare us halfway to death’s door.”

“I can see that happening. And if Hermione were here, she’d hex him ‘til next Sunday for that one.”

“That she would,” Regulus trailed off with a small laughter. The Chamber still felt eerie and unsettling, but at least their laughter had chased away the nameless terror that had stretched out its fingers from the darkness between the pillars.

Still, danger lingered in every shadow, and in the murky waters that covered the ground of the chamber. Each of their steps kept echoing off against the unseen walls. But otherwise, it was quiet. Like a tomb. Maybe that’s what it was, Harry realized. A tomb, for something, or maybe someone. And a Basilisk to guard it.

When they finally drew level with the last pair of pillars, Regulus pointed upwards. “That’s not Salazar, is it?” Harry shook his head. It couldn’t be. The face was deformed, as if external powers had shaped it. More precisely as if fiendish magic had forced its own brand of ugliness onto the caster. He remembered Voldemort’s face last year. Like a snake. This one was more like a monkey. If he was correct and this was a tomb for someone…but that someone wasn’t Salazar. It must have been someone close to him. Harry picked apart every conversation he’d ever had with his father. Who had been important to him? Godric…Helga, Rowena, Angiola, the other teachers…but they hadn’t used fiendish magic. Besides, Salazar would want them remembered as they were. So the chamber was not only a tomb, it was a warning. A warning to following generations of the Slytherin family.

Harry sucked in a breath. It was clear who was carved in stone before them. Salazar’s and Godric’s son. He stored away that knowledge for later. Right now they needed to save Ginny. In the minute it had taken Harry to come to his conclusions, Regulus had already reached for the lifeless Gryffindor, checking for her pulse.

“She’s alive. But barely. We need to get her out of here…Ginny, wake up – Ginny!” Regulus hissed.

“She won’t wake,” said a soft voice. Harry turned. Against one of the pillars leaned a boy, no older than sixteen. Slytherin robes, dark hair, pale skin, devilishly handsome. Harry may have seen him only once before, but there was no mistaking him: “Tom Marvolo Riddle, to what do we owe the pleasure?” he tried to keep it civil but there was no mistaking the tightness in his voice. He distrusted the young man, had since he first came upon his name. His presence here did little to soothe his worries. Rather, it solidified a suspicion that had been growing at the back of his mind.

Regulus had noted Harry’s sudden alertness and was slowly edging himself and Ginny towards the feet of the statue, hoping to find protection in the stone folds of the robe while Harry distracted this new threat.

Riddle simply smiled, a smile Harry new all too well, the smile of a person who knew they’d won. With a grace Harry could only be jealous of, the boy picked something up from the ground, his robes remaining dry despite the many puddles. Even more disturbing was the fact that the water remained still, no ripples formed at his touch. Something was decidedly wrong. The youthfulness may have been explained with potions or glamours, the detachedness from his surroundings could have been explained by him being a ghost, but he had been able to pick up the wand.

The wand – shit. They were unarmed against this…something four years their senior. If their investigation was to be believed, Riddle was studious and charming with bouts of talent and a drive for hard work. They had someone with the skill set of a fully grown wizard in front of them. A wizard who had the only wand in the vicinity. Shit.

Time to play up the charm and innocence: “We need to get her out of here. There is a basilisk roaming around. Do you know a short cut?”

“Don’t worry, the basilisk won’t come until called.” Now that just set off all the alarm clocks in his head.

“Okay, good to know, but we really need to go. Ginny probably needs medical attention. How did she get like this anyways? Do you know?”

“Interesting question, the reason is probably because Ginny Weasley opened her mind and spilled out her heart to an invisible stranger.” Harry glanced at Ginny. There! Cradled in her arms as if it were the world’s greatest treasure laid the diary. Riddle’s Diary. Double shit.

“I guess you must have consoled her quite well”, said Harry, intentionally letting a stammer slide into his voice. Maybe if he showed more panic than he felt Riddle would show an opening.

“Of course,” a hint of smugness laced Riddle’s voice, “I listened to her pitiful little stories, how her brothers tease her, how she had everything second-hand, how pure, good, great Daniel Potter would never notice her…It was very boring, having to listen to the troubles of a twelve year old girl. But I was patient. I wrote back. And she loved me for it.” A cold, high laugh escaped Riddle’s mouth. It was uncomfortably familiar.

“You see, I was always able to charm the people I need. As fellow Slytherins I’m sure you two understand. So as Ginny poured her soul into me, I gained power, enough power to pour a bit of my soul into her.”

“And thus you could possess her and made her open the Chamber of Secrets,” Harry felt that dreadful sort of awe, the one that is terribly close to fear. But it was enough to convince Riddle that he had impressed both him and Regulus.

“As fellow Slytherins I’m sure you understand how perfect a victim Ginny was. Who would suspect her? Oh, how entertaining it was to hear her write about being possessed.”

“But you made a mistake. She stopped trusting you. She threw you away.” Harry interrupted. No doubt Riddle would’ve started to mock Ginny again had he continued.

“Yes, but that gave way to me meeting two much more interesting individuals, Daniel Potter, who I had been most anxious to meet. And you. Hadrian. Emrys. LeFay. In the short time that Daniel had me, he told me all about you – and himself of course. He told of his lost twin showing him up in class, him the saviour of the wizarding world. The Boy-Who-Lived, who brought the fall of Lord Voldemort. Tell me, because Daniel couldn’t, how was it that you two survived?”

“Wouldn’t you want to know? I’ll ask something much more interesting: Why do you care? Your target are the muggleborns, Daniel and I are both half bloods. Though I might not be considered that anymore, with my adoption and all.”

“Because I want to know how a babe with an average light core could bring down the greatest wizard of all time, Lord Voldemort!”

“Why do you care?” Regulus yelled, “Voldemort came after your time!”

“Voldemort,” Riddle breathed softly, “is my past, present, and future.” He turned and waved Harry’s wand. In burning letters he wrote:

_Tom Marvolo Riddle_

With a wave of Riddle’s hand the letters rearranged themselves:

_I am Lord Voldemort_

“Seriously?” asked Harry, after a short pause to pull forward his inner Blaise, he pressed on: “Voldemort? Flight from Death? That’s pretty unimpressive as far as Dark Lord Names go. Besides you had so many opportunities. I mean, just by looking at it for like ten seconds I can already see several much more…unspeakable anagrams as that, like “Mister Tom, a Dildo Lover”. But I deviate. You must be burning to know why on Earth a baby could stop you. However, before I answer that, I have to correct one last assumption of yours. You see, you aren’t the Greatest Wizard of all times. Historically spoken you don’t even make it into the top ten. Hell, I can name at least four wizards and witches who are alive right at this moment and have accomplished much more than you.”

“And who may that be? Because it sure as Merlin isn’t Dumbledore, just a memory of myself drove him out of the castle.” Riddle’s eyebrows were raised in a way that clearly indicated pity.

“Oh, no. Nothing quite so new. I was more thinking along the lines of…Godric Gryffindor.”

 

_“Dueling the Basilisk”_

_By John Williams_

_(from “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets”)_

Riddles mouth opened to laugh, to make a comment, it will never be known. Because when he started to speak, a beautiful song erupted from above, rendering everyone in the Chamber silent. Flames erupted from the top of the nearest pillar. A beautiful crimson bird the size of a swan appeared. In its claws it carried a ragged fabric which it dropped into Harry’s arms.

“That’s a phoenix,” Riddle’s face was shrewd and calculating. Harry’s mind raced. He knew that the bird was Dumbledore’s but technically it was bound to the school. Invoking Godric’s name must have called it here.

“And that’s the old Sorting Hat…” Riddle was laughing now, condescendingly looking down on him. Harry clutched the hat close. He felt the Founders’ magic emanating from it. It was soothing to be so close to something that his parents had helped create.

“Now, onto the final act for tonight. You see, it became abundantly clear to me that I was currently no match for Daniel Potter. He escaped me twice with nothing more than a few scars to show for it. But, I know someone whose power is more than enough to take him down, to clear the way for Voldemort’s Revival. But you see, for me to successfully possess you, your soul has to die first. And what better way to do that than having a little match. Let us face against each other, Lord Voldemort, Heir of Slytherin…and Harry Potter, protector of Gryffindors.”

Harry didn’t have time to seethe over Riddle calling him “Potter”, because Riddle turned hissing at the statue: _“Speak to me Slytherin, Greatest of the Hogwarts Four.”_

Really? Are you being serious right now?, was all Harry could think before he was already running towards Regulus. He threw up every protection spell he knew, keeping his eyes closed when he heard the Basilisk uncoil from within the depths of the statue. “Keep your eyes closed. Don’t leave the circle until it’s over.”

He didn’t see Regulus nodding as he was already running in the opposite direction, away from the Chamber into the tunnels surrounding it. He heard Riddle hiss: _“Kill him”_ Harry kept running. His footsteps where treacherously loud inside the pipes. He came out on the other end of the Chamber, the phoenix behind him.

Harry ducked between two pillars, the Sorting Hat clutched tightly against his chest, phoenix on his shoulder. How could he use wandless magic if he couldn’t see his target? The phoenix rose from its perch, leaving Harry in the shadows of the pillar. He heard the basilisk coming. Then a flutter of wings.

There were screeches and hisses – noises of pain, swears, more pain noises, all in parsel. He heard Riddle scream: _“LEAVE THE BIRD! THE BOY IS BEHIND YOU!”_ and then Riddle made the first damning mistake of the night, he told Harry all he needed to know: “You see Harry, the basilisk may have been blinded, but it can still smell you. It can see with its nose”

Without thinking, Harry threw himself into the murky waters. The smell was infernal, but he cared little for it. Because the whole chamber smelled like this. “What is he doing?” yelled Riddle.

“Idiot,” said Regulus, “you said the Basilisk sees with its nose. And Harry just became invisible.”

At the price of reeking like a sewage, Harry grumbled mentally. The Basilisk had returned to its master, head still whipping around in pain. Harry looked around. The king of serpents might not find him, but it was all for naught if he couldn’t find a way to end this.

He looked at the Sorting Hat still clutched in his hands. There must have been a reason why the Phoenix brought him the hat. He put it on: “Help me, please.” He thought at the Hat. No answering voice. No guide out of this mess. Instead the Hat convulsed. Had their little swim ruined the ancient magic?

The Hat kept cramping atop Harry’s head until something heavy hid Harry’s skull. For a moment he saw stars, as he pulled the Hat off to see what had hit him. A silver sword hilt covered in rubies had appeared from the Hat. Carefully Harry pulled the thin, elegant blade from the Hat. The sword was a work of art, most likely goblin made and it was just what he needed.

The basilisk was coming for him, eye sockets bloody. Its hisses a jumble of mad thoughts. The spouting of a mind that had been left alone for too long. The words of a caged animal. Mad and instinctual. There was no saving the poor creature.

As the serpent opened its mouth, Harry lifted the sword, driving it through the roof of the basilisk’s mouth. _“I’m sorry,”_ Harry whispered, _“Rest in peace”_

Harry dragged himself back to the statue where Regulus was cowering from an advancing Riddle. The Diary was still clutched in Ginny’s hands. Harry was slowly losing focus. There was pain pulsating in his veins, it hurt, hurt so much.

“So ends the forgotten Potter twin. Forsaken by everyone in the Chamber of Secrets.” Harry couldn’t understand. Could only feel pain. And one comfort: Regulus was save. This horror had come to an end, the Basilisk was dead.

“Basilisk venom is truly magnificent. It kills everything and so very fast.” Kill everything…Harry mused. How could a little black book cause so much damage?, Harry wondered. Black…magic…black magic. Fiendish magic. And the most fiendish one, a Horcrux. A container for part of a soul…soul…memory. Little Black Book. Horcux book. Basilisk venom kills everything. Why not a Horcrux? Why not a little black book?

Harry pulled at the fang still lodged in his arm. Blindly he grabbed for the Diary, his vision blackening, the book…finding it, but before he could kill the thing, darkness overtook him.

 

_“Fawkes the Phoenix”_

_By John Williams_

_(from “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets”)_

Regulus saw what Harry wanted to do. Saw his friend falter and sink into himself. Still in shock he took both Diary and fang, ramming the tooth straight into the book. Riddle screamed. White light exploded everywhere, black ink flowed over his hands, and on his lap he could feel Ginny getting warmer before gasping for air.

“Where am I?” she panted, when she saw Regulus, she burst into tears: “It was me, I didn’t want to, but Riddle made me, he…he…oh Merlin, what have I done?” she was working herself into a panic, so Regulus grabbed her shoulders and all but yelled at her: “It wasn’t your fault!”

Silence. Regulus berated himself. Way to go, yell at the panicking victim, way to go, Black, “It wasn’t your fault,” he repeated, this time more calmly, “Riddle possessed you. But the Basilisk is dead. Harry killed it…Harry…” there was a hot wetness on his cheeks. Tears. Harry…Harry was…no…he couldn’t be.

He looked at his fallen friend. The phoenix was sitting next to him, crying round tears onto the wound. With wonder and hope Regulus and Ginny watched as the wound closed and colour returned to Harry’s ashen skin.

“Of course,” Regulus sighed, relief flooding his eyes with more tears, “Phoenix tears can heal every wound.”

It took them a while, but with the phoenix’s – Fawkes, as Ginny called him – help Regulus and Ginny brought Harry back through the tunnel and to where the cavern had given in.

Everything else was a bit of a blur. There were teachers running about, asking them for the story. Lockhart was deported to St. Mungo’s, the Weasley family arrived, house points were given and deducted, the petrification victims were revived, Dumbledore came back, honestly, Regulus only heard about it later. Because for the rest of the evening and well into the night he, and Blaise sat next to Harry’s bed waiting for their friend to wake up. It was shortly after eleven pm when Madam Pomphrey called Professor Snape to escort them back to the common room.

With them being tired, downright exhausted, no one saw the small black egg on Harry’s nightstand beginning to wobble.

 

At the same time Blaise and Regulus fell asleep in their beds under the lake, another underground chamber was abuzz.

There was the loud thud of a wooden hammer being slammed down and the cry for order.

“Silence!” a voice yelled, “I will now read the decision of the trial. Lord Emrys, Lord LeFay, you hereby gain joint custody of Hadrian Zephyrus Emrys-LeFay, formerly Potter. This verdict cannot be challenged by any other than the child himself and/or his godparents, namely Lord Sirus Orion Black and Lady Angiola Zabini. As this concludes the last point on today’s agenda the Wizengamot is hereby dismissed.”

TBC


	13. Epilogue – “Homecoming” by Audiomachine (from “Tree of Life”)

Godric and Salazar arrived late into the night. They didn’t want to postpone their trip, as there was still the lingering threat of danger Salazar had foreseen. So when a dishevelled looking Minerva McGonagall greeted them, before ushering them to the hospital wing…well, they weren’t exactly surprised. What did shock them however was the story that Minerva relayed to them. Not only had their twelve year old son slain an ancient basilisk, he had also in the process saved the victim of a Horcrux, and stopped the school from being closed down.

When they asked how on earth Harry could have killed the serpent without a wand or wind magic, Minerva had finally shown them to their son’s bed. Arranged on the nightstand were several objects Salazar hadn’t expected to ever see again. A basilisk egg, Fawkes the phoenix, the Sorting Hat, a little black book, a basilisk _fang_ stuck in the book, and a blood- and venom stained Sword of Gryffindor. Professor McGonagall explained how Regulus had stabbed the book with the fang that had also poisoned Harry, and how the venom had destroyed whatever Fiendish magic had resided within. Salazar was pleased to note that McGonagall had made a difference between Dark and Fiendish.

Godric however was still looking quite shell shocked. When Minerva left them alone, he muttered: “How could he have pulled the sword out? I mean, I’m glad he did, but it requires a mind-set completely different from his own…”

Salazar snorted: “My dear Gryffindor, our son has a thing for saving people, combined with a strong tendency for self-sacrifice. If I hadn’t been so adamant in teaching him the ways of political intrigue, he would very well have been in Gryffindor. Pulling out the sword in his moment of need simply proves that. He is a lion just as much as he is a snake. You should be proud.”

“I am! I can’t even put into words how proud I am. I just didn’t expect it. I…you were always much closer to him. And…I just thought that it simply meant that he didn’t see me as much of a role model,” Godric’s voice remained steady but his face showed how much it pained him, both the thought that he wasn’t good enough and the fact that he had completely misunderstood his son.

“If I know one thing about Harry it’s the fact that he worships the ground you stand on. He admires you. But that also made him put you on a pedestal. He also believes that you don’t approve of his behaviour so he remains distant. I think…I think we all need to sit down together and talk. Really talk. About how we perceive each other and how we can learn to communicate better. I mean, look at what happened last summer, we didn’t tell Harry what was going on and then were cut off from him for most of the year. I believe – and I know I’m sounding like Helga right now – I believe we need to be more open with each other. We are a family and Harry is growing up with every day that passes. It’s time to include him into decisions we make.”

“If he wakes up that is.” Godric still looked downtrodden, though I a bit more hopeful now that there was an actual plan to follow.

“He will, just look at his familiar egg. He will wake up sooner than you might expect.”

 

Draco Malfoy was sitting in the newly reappointed Headmaster’s office. Just a few hours after the petrification victims had woken up, Dumbledore had stood on the doorsteps of the school, eyes ever-twinkling. He had then grandfatherly asked Draco to come into his office after breakfast. Draco had known something was up, but had hardened himself to get through it. He had always been made to carry the consequences of his father’s actions. It had helped him a great deal, as Lucius Malfoy was a man of many achievements, but he had always expected that it would one day turn against him.

Therefore he had been more than shocked when the Lords Emrys and LeFay joined him after breakfast. He wasn’t surprised by the Lords’ general presence in the castle – Blaise and Regulus had only been too happy to tell how their group had saved the school – no, he had been surprised at how the two grown men simply slotted into pace besides him and Blaise. A questioning glance at the Zabini heir gave him more answers than he ever needed: “No changing that, Draco. You’re part of the group now. That means dealing with the usual craziness, pranks, unsolicited fashion advice, and overbearing mother henning.”

When Draco’s confused expression didn’t clear up immediately, Blaise added: “You didn’t think that Cedric was the only overprotective one of the group, did you?”

So, now he was sitting in the Headmaster’s office, Blaise lazing in a chair next to him, with the two grown-ups on his other side. They had listened to Dumbledore’s…speech that basically boiled down to: “I’m sorry that I can’t give your son or his friends any points, because they’re in Slytherin. Also, I want to intimidate young Mr Malfoy here so that he doesn’t sue the school.”

Draco couldn’t care less for all of that. He just wanted to go home, hug his mother and then write long letters to his newly gained friends discussing everything under the sun. He wanted to get to know the group he had become a part of and rather not think about his father’s involvement in the Chamber of Secrets ordeal. Because there was no doubt that his father was involved.

When he said as much to Dumbledore, the old man’s eyes started to twinkle. But before he could answer, the fireplace glowed green and three persons stepped out. The first was Amelia Bones, head of the DMLE, the second was Rufus Scrimgeour, head auror. And lastly, the one person Draco would rather not see at the moment. For a second, Granger’s – no Hermione’s voice – ghosted through his mind: “Speak of the devil and he shall appear.” How uncomfortably true that muggle saying rang at the moment, because in the fireplace, impeccable as ever stood no one other than Lucius Malfoy.

There was an argument. Both ministry officials were grilling Blaise on what had happened, who was responsible and so on. Blaise answered their questions with his usual tongue-in-cheek attitude. But when Bones demanded proof and Lord LeFay all but threw a little black book onto Dumbledore’s desk, it became too much. Draco knew that book. Had seen it in hands once so familiar and admired. So when he spoke for the second time during the meeting it rendered everyone silent: “What is my father’s notebook doing here?”

During the ensuing silence Draco tried to play the part of the unsuspecting child that had revealed a fundamental truth without being aware of it. It wasn’t hard because all he had to do was fidget a bit, and considering he was nervous enough to burst at the seams…it really wasn’t hard at all. Of course he knew that book. Blaise and Regulus had explained how Voldemort had stored a piece of his soul inside it, how it possessed Ginny Weasley to do all the unspeakable things that had happened during the school term. But he had seen it before. In his father’s hands no less. He hadn’t written in it, but he had carried it around. And then Draco had seen his father smuggle something into Ginny Weasley’s cauldron. It just hadn’t clicked until now that all three might be connected with each other.

Then chaos erupted. Scrimgeour tackled his still shocked father and escorted the then protesting man out of the office, whereas Bones whirled around to Dumbledore to demand what kind of game he was playing. The thing reeked of Black magic and shouldn’t ever have entered the school wards. Dumbledore said something about the wards being manipulated by Malfoy and so on.

Draco only processed what happened when LeFay’s hand on his shoulder slowly guided him out of the office. His father was facing a trial. All because Draco didn’t keep his mouth shut. On the other hand, he couldn’t bring himself to regret speaking out. Mainly because all he had been able to see at that moment two pairs of eyes. One of them brown and lilac, freezing in fear and then slowly turning to stone. The other yellow and serpentine, gripping him with terror and petrifying his mind and body.

 

Theo and Hermione were sitting in the library, both Ravens focused on catching up with the classes they had missed – albeit due to different reasons. They were so engrossed in their work that they didn’t notice the small blonde joining them until she spoke: “I think we will be great friends, Heiress Granger-Ravenclaw.” Hermione looked up into the pale blue eyes of Luna Lovegood. The first year’s aura was jingling like a wind chime with each vision the younger girl had. Hermione smiled: “I have a feeling we will, Heiress Lovegood.”

 

Daphne was observing Regulus interacting with Ginny Weasley. The lion girl had been through a lot, Daphne could see it on her face. But there was also a determination shining in the red head’s eyes. A determination to not get knocked down by the trauma she had experienced. And Regulus offering friendship to her was only helping matters. Yes, Daphne was sure, the girl would grow up to be a force to be reckoned with. In the meantime she would no doubt make an excellent female friend. She and Hermione had too little of those.

 

Cedric watched the twins prepare an “End of the school year” prank as they called it. Normally he would have stepped in by now, very much aware of his responsibility as a prefect. But today, just this once he would let them have their way. After all that had happened this year, it was time for fun and games again. And they all would need a laughter to start that.

 

Harry knew he was asleep. Mainly because he was standing in the Wind King’s domain. Merlin was sitting cross legged against the gate. “Congratulations,” said Merlin as a manner of greeting, “you have officially overcome the last trial. You are now, irrevocably a contractor of the Spirit king of the wind.”

“I wasn’t before?” Harry asked.

“Not really. I was still helping you out and you had to master your emotions before it became a fully sealed deal. Mind you, you managed it faster than anyone expected and let me tell you, both me and his majesty are very proud of you for that. Now, before I let you go, one last piece of advice: Your emotions are the fuel of your powers. Accept them and you can use the winds to your heart’s content. Let them overcome you and your powers become explosive. So accept what you are feeling. Try to understand the why and how behind them. And finally, be never afraid to ask for help. That’s what I’m here for. What Godric and Salazar are here for. And of course, what your friends are here for. Friendship is a two way road. So communicate.”

Merlin got up and knocked on the gate. It opened and Harry felt his powers streaming back into him. Felt his connection with the sky settle deep into his bones. He finally felt free and complete again. Like himself again. And when he opened his eyes, he saw Salazar looking down on him with exasperated fondness.

With a grin Harr whispered: “We really need to stop ending my school years like this, don’t we?”

FIN – for now. See you in 3rd year

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IMPORTANT STUFF IS BEING SAID  
> I’m planning a 3rd year. I plan to write all years, for that matter. But right now, I need to a) plan the third year plot to avoid lapses in updates like they happened while I finished this year, b) I want to write on my other stories, and c) I have several ideas I want to try. Some of them are rewrites of older stories, some are for other fandoms, and some I have already mentioned as interim works. Now, the plan is that I first finish “What if” and then go on to write out the “James returns” idea, as that is the plot bunny that gathered the most interest. As for 3rd year, this might take me a month to think up a plot for that one, as I cannot follow the original one like I did with 1st and 2nd year. Once I have ironed out the details I will post the first chapter and try for weekly updates.

**Author's Note:**

> Okay the rules are still the same (see 1st year for them)  
> But I once more encourage you guys to ask for one-shots for this verse (or any other Harry Potter related stories). I only need to know the paring/character I should focus on and a prompt (can be anything from a quote to a word to a music piece)  
> Enjoy 2nd Year


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